Fright Night Part 3
by The Pagemaster's Anthology
Summary: To celebrate 30 years since Fright Night Part 2, here is the next instalment of the story taking place in the present day 30 years after Regine was killed. Charley now lives a happy, normal life with his wife Alex and their 3 children until vampires start to invade his dreams, slowly taking his sanity. Are they real or just a delusion? And has Regine somehow returned from the dead?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Welcome to Fright Night."

The candelabras exploded into life basking the grand, musky room in an ambient glow. The tall cast iron stands branched off in all directions, each branch cradling its own lump of yellow wax that had melted and curled to resemble the tortured expressions of screaming faces, their waxy tears dripping down the stems and onto the floor.

Cobwebs lined the ceiling and the dust particles that swarmed the room were made visible by the candlelight. It was the epitome of a vampire's den. It was a corner of the ancient five storey apartment building that was untouched by the renovators and retained its gothic splendour. No one would disturb them.

The flames flickered as if quaking in fear of the vampire's presence. The air shook like a storm cloud was rolling in.

"Are you thirsty Charley?" asked Regine seductively.

He was desperately thirsty. It was taking all his strength not to give in.

Charley's grip on the rifle he was holding tightened. He held it up in defence.

"Come kiss me."

He stepped forward.

"Charley, no." pleaded Alex. Charley paused, but the lure of Regine's beauty was too strong. Her hypnotic eyes drew him close to her.

Alex rushed to Charley's side.

"Charley, please listen to me." He pushed her off his shoulder and into the constrictive arms of Belle, one of Regine's vampiric entourage, an effeminate man with dark, flawless skin.

"Chaaarrleeey." The way Regine sung his name made his heart melt. It was like a siren call beckoning him to his doom. He succumbed and kissed her passionately.

Alex looked on in fear and disappointment. She had lost him. She silently prayed that he would be able to resist her. She knew in her heart he was strong enough to fight her.

Bozworth, another of Regine's devotees, a brute of a man, tall and wide like a mountain, his muscles rippling through his shirt, grabbed Peter by the coat. Bozworth kicked him in the gut and punched him across the face. Peter fell to the floor unconscious. Alex willed him to get up but he was unmoving.

"It's time." said Regine, taking the rifle from Charley's hands and removing the holy cloth from his shoulders, her hands sizzling.

She led Charley to where Alex was knelt on the floor, still held captive in a vice like grip. He knelt down to face her, his eyes wide and hungry.

"Charley, don't do this."

He didn't seem to be listening.

"Charley I love you."

In any other situation he would've said it back but all of his attention was focused on her supple neck.

"Did you hear me Charley Brewster, I said I loved you." he looked at her with a lust and hunger that made his eyes wild and ravenous.

"He can't hear you anymore. All he can hear is the sound of your blood pulsating and it's irresistible, isn't it Charley?" Every time Regine said his name it sent a shiver down his spine all the way to his groin.

His fangs were primed. His mouth was salivating. Alex smelled sweet, like peaches and vanilla. He could only imagine her blood tasted just as delicious. He sunk his teeth into her tense, firm neck. As he pierced her skin and the first drop of blood touched his tongue, an intense euphoria washed over him like a drug. It was unlike anything he had felt or tasted before. It was so all-consuming he forgot where he was or what he was doing. Reality twisted and bent out of shape. He had no cares or no worries, just a perfect serenity. It all melted away except for the taste of blood, warm and alive as it gushed down his throat like a waterfall.

Before long he had drained Alex dry. He lost grip of her and her dead weight slumped to the floor. Like a child eating for the first time he had gotten his food everywhere. His teeth were blood-stained and there was a mass of blood dripping down his chin.

"Now you have a taste for it perhaps you should kill Peter Vincent." suggested Regine alluringly.

Charley was still so thirsty; he looked upon Peter with a primitive need.

Charley crawled over to Peter's unconscious body. The vein in Peter's neck throbbed enticingly, his heart pounding hard, pumping delicious blood around his body.

Something felt amiss. His heart rate was too strong and too fast. Charley realised Peter wasn't unconscious.

Peter grabbed hold of the nearby curtain and yanked it open. The crumbling railing gave way and the curtain fell to the floor, flooding the room with the faint sunlight from a rising dawn.

Charley covered his face with his arms, the light burning him even through his clothes, and retreated to a shadowy corner. The other vampires had scattered including Regine, although Peter felt as though her eyes were still watching him.

He didn't know what to do next. He was safe for now in the basking sunlight but he couldn't stay there forever. He had to get out of the building before the vampires had a chance to regroup, or indeed before the sun went down again.

"Charley, please, you have to listen to me. You don't want to do this; you don't want to be a vampire. Think about everything we've been through together. We're vampire killers and I don't want to have to kill you."

"It's too late for me. I've tasted blood and I can smell yours." growled Charley.

"It's not too late, not if we kill the vampire that turned you, if we kill Regine."

"I can't, her hold is too strong. I won't let you!"

"You have to fight it."

"I've tried, I can't. She's too powerful."

Peter almost tripped over Alex's corpse.

He choked down the vomit that was churning in his gut.

"Look what's already happened to Alex. Look what they've done to her. Are you going to let them get away with it? Surely her death is enough incentive to want to drive a stake through their hearts."

Charley forced himself to look down at her body, to face the reality. Her lifeless eyes stared at him, judging him, condemning him.

"But _I_ did that. _I_ killed her. _I_ deserve the stake through the heart. Oh my God, what have I done?"

"Calm down Charley. We can still make this right."

"How? Look at her. She's gone, there's nothing…unless…I _will_ make this right. I'll undo what I've done. I can turn her."

"What? That's not what I meant."

"I can turn her into a vampire, like me. At least she'll be alive."

"But she'll change. She'd be something dangerous and unnatural. She wouldn't thank you for it."

"I need to at least try. I don't know what else to do."

"I don't think it will work. She's dead. She can't be turned once she's dead." said Peter, trying his best to convince Charley that this was a bad idea.

"Peter, please. Cover up the window so I can get to her."

Peter hesitated.

"The light is my only defence." Peter exclaimed.

"Then bring Alex to me where the light doesn't reach."

Against Peter's better judgement he took hold of Alex's still warm hands and dragged her body to the edge of the room.

Charley tried to feed her some of his blood and when that didn't work he tried to resuscitate her.

Peter hovered between the light and the shadow, a part of him hoping, against his conscience, that Alex would open her eyes.

Charley breathed into Alex's lungs one last time to no effect. As he pulled away he kissed her lips gently, saying goodbye.

"It's too late, she's gone. I'm sorry my boy." said Peter comfortingly, wanting to console Charley but wisely keeping his distance.

"You were right, I couldn't save her." Charley jumped up and grabbed Peter by the throat, forcing him against the wall. "I think I knew all along it wouldn't work. She's dead and that's that, but it got you away from the sunlight."

"Charley, please, don't do this." pleaded Peter, straining to speak, his trachea slowly being crushed. Charley hadn't yet realised his newfound strength.

"I tried to resist Regine but I couldn't and now I've tasted blood I need more."

"She doesn't love you. She wants to torture you."

"I know what she plans to do to me and it frightens the hell out of me, but that doesn't change the fact that I _need_ more blood. I'm sorry Peter, forgive me."

Charley plunged his teeth into Peter's neck and sucked him dry in a matter of moments. Peter's screams faded into a gargle; the fear in his eyes now permanently transfixed on his inanimate face.

Charley wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve.

Peter's corpse slid down the wall and crumpled to the floor.

Charley expected to feel guilty for killing the two people he cared for most in the world but he didn't. All that seemed to matter to him was that his thirst had been satisfied.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Regine appeared before Charley, through the door into the next room which was shielded from the sunlight. "The satisfaction of fulfilling your thirst; the intoxication of their blood flowing through your veins. There's nothing like it."

Charley felt himself subconsciously walking towards her. He should be running for his life but her spell still held strong. She brushed her fingers through his hair, caressed his cheek, touched his lips; he was enthralled by her beauty; captivated by her sultry eyes. She licked a smear of Peter's blood off his chin and his body quivered with lust.

"But that euphoria will soon go away, the thirst will return and you'll realise how you brutally murdered your friends. The guilt will hit you like a speeding train, it will eat away at you from the inside out, and when that happens, I want a front row seat."

Belle and Bozworth appeared out of the shadows and grabbed him by the arms. Her spell broke and he could finally see the unadulterated hatred she had for him.

"Lock him in a coffin until I decide what to do with him."

"No!"

Charley awoke screaming.

Alex sat up, startled.

Beads of sweat streamed down his face. His breathing was heavy and laboured. He took in his surroundings and saw Alex was led next to him, alive and well, and realised it was just a nightmare.

"What's the matter? Are you alright?" asked Alex. Charley nodded his head. "Did you have the dream again?" He nodded again. He couldn't speak yet, he was still catching his breath. "Did it play out the same way?"

"Same as always. Regine turns me and I kill you and Peter, but before she has a chance to torture me for eternity I wake up. Watching the two of you die in my arms, by my hand, is torture enough. It's like she's still here, haunting me."

"It's only a nightmare. Regine has been dead for thirty years now. We won, not her. She can't hurt you."

"I know but it feels so real, even after I wake up, it doesn't feel like just a dream."

"You just need to relax." she said, massaging his shoulders. "You're going to make yourself ill if you keep surviving on just a few hours sleep a night."

"I know. Believe me, I don't want these nightmares. If there was a miracle cure to make them go away I would take it. Oh, right there, that knot in my back." Charley closed his eyes as Alex worked the heel of her hand into his shoulder blade.

"Well, perhaps I can take your mind off of it." Alex kissed his cheek and started nibbling his ear.

"You have my attention."

She whispered something in his ear and then pulled the duvet over their heads, giggling.

Their family home was quaint and cosy but spacious enough for a family of five. There was an antique fireplace in the living room, a homely kitchen/diner that was the heart of the home, four bedrooms with master en suite, a large back yard and to top it all a white picket fence. They were the epitome of the all-American family, living the American dream.

"I'm going to the cemetery." Charley called to Alex. "Where are the kids?"

"Pete is doing his homework and Chloe is listening to music, I think, if you can call that music."

"Well, I'm going to make a move. Are you alright holding down the fort?"

"I'll be fine. Give Peter a rose from me."

"Of course." Charley kissed Alex on the cheek and opened the front door.

"Dad, wait. Are you going to see Peter Vincent?" asked Pete.

"Yes, it's the anniversary of his death."

"Can I come?"

"Pete, why would you want to go to a gloomy old cemetery? Have you even finished your homework?" asked Alex.

"Pretty much." he lied.

"Your studying is important."

"Oh Mom, please, can I go? I want to hear more about the time he and dad spent together."

"I don't like this morbid obsession with vampires. And _you_ don't help," said Alex, hitting Charley on the arm, "telling him stories about them and 'Peter Vincent the great vampire killer'."

"They're harmless, besides, at least this gets him out in the fresh air and away from his video games."

"Fine, but be back before it gets dark, and you go straight upstairs and finish your homework when you get home. Oh, and don't forget to pick up these supplies at the store." Alex handed Charley a short grocery list. "Judy's coming home from college next weekend and she's going to take some stuff with her when she goes back."

"Sure, love you."

The sombre cemetery was bright and peaceful, cast in an ambient glow from the afternoon sun streaming through the last remnants of the rain clouds. The surrounding trees scattered the beams over the gravestones and rainbows bounced off the puddles from the rain the night before.

Peter's grave was at the opposite end of the graveyard to the main gates which allowed Charley time to tell Pete a story of one of the infamous vampire killer's adventures.

"How did Peter find the vampires?" asked Pete.

"He used the mirror in a cigarette case and noticed that they didn't cast any reflection."

"Huh!" Peter had heard this story a hundred times but he loved the theatrics of playing along.

"So, Peter fetched his stakes and crosses and holy water and hunted the beasts down."

"Did he get them all?"

"Of course he did. He's Peter Vincent. No vampire can escape his cunning and bravery."

"Peter Vincent was the coolest. I wish I had met him."

"So do I, you two would have got on like a house on fire, but I'm glad he was around long enough to see you born before he died. His was positively beaming with pride when we told him we were naming you after him."

Charley wrapped his arm around his son's shoulders and let him pick a rose from the bunch to personally put on the grave.

"Mind the thorns." warned Charley.

A towering oak tree stood on a small grass hill at the back of the cemetery, keeping watch over the rows of graves that lay adjacent to it.

Charley and Pete walked through the shadow of the tree but when they had passed it the gloom remained, shrouding them in a half light. A chill came over Charley and a blanket of mist rolled in swirling around his feet like a smoke machine on a horror B-movie. He looked around to see where the mist was coming from but when he turned back, Pete was nowhere to be seen.

"Pete!" exclaimed Charley, trying to keep the panic in his voice to a minimum. "If you're hiding I'm not in the mood. Come out."

The graveyard was silent, eerily silent. He couldn't even hear Pete breathing or giggling from his hiding place.

"Pete! Where are you? I won't be happy with you if you're playing games with me right now." Charley searched around frantically but there was no sign of Pete.

He ran over to Peter Vincent's grave in case Pete was hiding behind the large stone cross.

Nothing.

"Pete!" Charley cried again.

At the end of the row of gravestones Charley saw him stood with his back hunched, his face turned away. Charley ran to his side and put his hand on his shoulder. Charley immediately stood back in horror. Pete's face was ashen and his eyes sunken into their sockets. He didn't look at Charley, he didn't even seem to be aware of his presence.

Charley shook him but then his hands passed straight through him. Pete began to fade away like a ghost. Charley reached out for his son but he couldn't get a grip. Pete continued to fade until eventually he vanished completely.

"Pete!" screamed Charley. He stepped back, distraught, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He stared down at Peter Vincent's grave on the verge of tears. Even through his tearful eyes and the mist that covered the ground the mistake was glaringly obvious. The date of Peter's death now read 1988, the year of their encounter with Regine. But in reality, Peter had died some fifteen years after that. He was alive for the birth of his son. He knew that.

His eyes fell on the stone cross immediately to the right, identical to Peter's. That hadn't been there before. It had always been a subtle square headstone with a pot of flowers in front of it. The air almost escaped his lungs when he saw the name engraved on it.

 _Alex Young_

 _Beloved daughter and friend_

 _Died 1988_

It was the same as Peter's, as if they'd died that night Charley was almost turned into a vampire, just like in his nightmare. But Regine died that night, not them, he told himself, trying to convince his delusional mind that what he was seeing wasn't real. But it felt real, disturbingly so. He closed his eyes and rubbed the sides of his head, hoping he would snap out of this waking nightmare. On opening them again, the headstones were unchanged and there was something hanging from the oak tree in front of him; three bodies swinging from ropes, the bodies of his three children. Their faces were white but their lips and ears were blue. Their arms and legs dangled lifelessly. Their eyes were bulging and pale and bloodshot. The sight of his dead children shocked him to his very core, petrifying him to the spot. The scene was horrifying but somehow he couldn't look away.

Suddenly, without warning, the ground opened up beneath him. He fell straight through like a trap door on a stage.

Charley kept falling and falling down a never-ending tunnel of earth. The mud and dirt flicked in his face. He reached out with his hands, desperate to stop the descent but there was nothing to hold on to. He feared he might keep falling forever. Just as his fear turned into panic, his back hit the ground. He could feel the damp grass tickling his ears and the back of his head pounding. As his eyes came back into focus he could see the headstone of Peter Vincent looming over him, the date had returned to normal.

The darkness dispersed, the clouds parted and the sun shone through like a radiant beam of light from heaven.

"Dad! Are you ok?" asked Pete, holding out a hand to lift Charley off the ground. Charley took it and heaved himself to his feet.

"I'm fine." he lied.

"I tried to warn you about that muddy patch but you didn't hear me. The grass is slippery from the rain last night."

"Come on, we're going home."

"But you haven't laid the flowers on the grave."

Charley threw them next to the headstone, some of the petals coming loose and blowing away in the breeze. He grabbed Pete around the arm and headed for the front gates.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just don't feel very well."

"But you never miss an opportunity to reminisce about Peter Vincent, the great vampire killer."

"Pete! Just drop it! I'm not in the mood right now! We're going home!"

The journey in the car was silent all the way home. As Charley opened the front door Pete ran straight upstairs to his room, stomping his feet as he went.

"Pete, I'm sorry."

Pete's bedroom door slammed shut.

"What happened? Why's he so upset?" asked Alex.

"It's my fault, I yelled at him and I shouldn't have. He didn't deserve it, it was just me being cranky."

"Why, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Charley, you're the most laid back person I've ever met. For you to shout at our son for no reason means it's not 'nothing.'"

"I had another nightmare but this time I was awake, unless I lost consciousness for a moment when I fell."

"You fell?"

"I only slipped on the grass. I'm fine."

"You hit your head?" Alex examined the back of Charley's head, stroking her fingers through his hair.

Charley recoiled, her act of affection momentarily reminding him of Regine.

Alex was taken aback by his reaction.

"What's the matter? What did you see?" she asked. Charley hesitated. He didn't want to frighten Alex with his apocalyptic visions. "Please, you can tell me anything."

"You won't like it."

"I don't care."

He huffed, defeated. He couldn't argue with her.

"I saw…your grave next to Peter's, as if you died that night, like in my dream…and then Pete disappeared, I couldn't find him, but when I finally did he was vacant like a ghost and he started to fade away, I couldn't hold him. The next I saw of him it was his dead body hanging from the large oak tree along with Judy and Chloe." The image flashed before his eyes. A sickening feeling came over him. "Then the ground opened up beneath me and I fell into your graves but I kept falling. I finally woke up on the ground."

Alex put her hand to her mouth, her eyes going misty with tears.

"There's something seriously wrong with me Alex." He hugged his wife and buried his head in her shoulders.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next few days were restless for Charley. He dared not sleep for fear of more nightmares and they had been getting worse. It was now that every time he closed his eyes he would see some horrific vision; the rotting corpses of his family; Peter Vincent rising from his grave with his throat ripped out; Alex's twenty year old self lying at his feet, the taste of her blood on his tongue. Sometimes it was Regine's face staring back at him, just as beautiful, just as alluring. She made him want to sleep forever but a sharp blow to the head or a stake through the heart usually jolted him awake.

"You can't go on like this." said Alex.

Charley was pouring his ninth cup of coffee of the day.

"I know but I don't know what else to do. I can't go and see another shrink. They'll just try to convince me that vampires don't exist, but we both know they do."

"You don't have to tell them about vampires. Be vague. Just mention a trauma you experienced when you were a teenager and that you're having recurring nightmares about it."

"What if _you_ treat me?"

"Me!"

"You're a clinical psychologist. You know everything about me. Give me a diagnosis. Tell me how to handle this."

"I can't treat you, you're my husband."

"It doesn't have to be in a professional capacity. You won't be breaking any ethical rules. Just talk to me and tell me what you think. Please."

"From what I've seen so far, the recurring nightmares and the insomnia, it could be PTSD but that's not my field of expertise."

"PTSD? Thirty years after the event?" he questioned.

"You wanted my help…"

"I do, I do." he said apologetically, cradling Alex's face in his hands. "Please, will you at least try?"

Alex considered this for a moment.

"If you think it will help."

"Yes, I do. Thank you." he hugged Alex tightly, relieved. "You're the only person I'd trust to tinker with my brain."

"If I can find one." she said in jest.

Charley led on the bed with the bedroom door closed so they wouldn't be disturbed. He closed his eyes and tried to relax but immediately opened them again at the image of Peter Vincent's severed head rolling across the floor.

Alex noticed him jolt.

"Did you see something?" she asked, taking a seat on the bed, notebook and pencil in hand.

"It's nothing."

"Charley, I can't help you if you're not completely honest with me."

He sighed and confessed, "I saw an image of Peter's severed head. Peter Vincent, not our Pete." he clarified.

"And you only closed your eyes for a few seconds."

"Yes."

"Do you see visions every time you shut your eyes?"

"Now I do, every time."

"How long has it been this bad?"

"About a week."

Alex wrote down everything Charley said. He loved the way she looked in her glasses, perched on the end of her nose, authoritative with a strict, pensive look on her face. His eyes were drawn to her cleavage which gently protruded from her fitted turquoise shirt. When she looked up she noticed his wandering eyes.

"Charley, focus please."

"Sorry Miss."

"These visions you have, are they always about death?"

"Err, yeah." he said unconvincingly, not wanting to admit his dreams about Regine.

"You're a terrible liar. I need your complete honesty. I won't judge."

"All of my visions are disturbing but they're not always about death."

"What else do you see besides death?"

"Regine." Charley confessed, his face turned away so he couldn't see Alex's reaction.

"I see." she said irritably, the scratching of her pen to paper getting louder.

"You see, you're upset."

"No, I'm not." she said coolly.

"Who's the liar now?"

"Tell me more. What does she do in your nightmares?"

"Nothing, she usually just stands in front of me, staring, but…" he halted. He meant to stop before the 'but'.

"But, what?"

Charley hesitated, twiddling his fingers.

Alex glared at him, egging him on for an answer.

"I often find myself getting lost in her eyes and I just stare back at her."

"How does she make you feel?"

"Calm, mostly. They're the only times I feel like I could sleep for hours, sometimes I feel like I never want to wake up, but then she tortures me and I open my eyes."

"Mm hmm."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, I'm just acknowledging what you've said."

"And you don't like it, do you?"

"Not really but that's your reality and I want to help you through it."

"This was a mistake." said Charley, getting up. "I can't discuss all of the explicit details with you. It feels like I'm being unfaithful...with a vampire who's been dead for thirty years…which is completely insane." He held his head in his hand, realising the ridiculousness of what he was saying.

"Charley, sit down. You wanted my help, now you've got it. If you can't seek help anywhere else then you'll have to talk to me. It may sound ridiculous but whatever is happening to you is real. You need help otherwise you're going to make yourself ill from the lack of sleep. You've experienced two traumas in your lifetime involving vampires, two more than most people, and for some reason the psychological effects of those experiences are influencing you now. We're going tackle this problem together. Regine and Jerry are dead and once you accept that then we can move on with our lives."

Charley sat back down on the bed.

"Yes Ma'am." He adored his wife even more for sticking by him and when she used her sexy therapist voice he couldn't help but swoon.

"Would it help you feel more relaxed if I hypnotised you?" asked Alex. "It would allow you to be completely open with me without the fear of upsetting me."

"The last time I was in a trance Regine was in control." said Charley warily.

"But I'll be in control this time and you trust me, don't you?" Charley nodded. "Regine is already controlling you by manifesting as your fear. We need to get rid of her. I'll simply ask you questions as I have been, you just won't have your defences up so you won't hold back."

Charley tapped his fingers on his legs nervously.

"No." he decided. "I trust you and I love you, but no."

"Fine, I can't force you, but you need to be entirely open with me or I won't be able to help you."

"I promise."

"Now, I'm not going to put you in a trance but I am going to speak softly and try to get you to relax. I wonder if part of the reason why your symptoms are getting worse is because you are growing increasingly frightened of seeing these visions making you panic more and sleep less. The increased lack of sleep could also be causing more frequent hallucinations. I want to study the intensity of your visions in a more relaxed state. Is that ok?"

"Yes."

"Right, I want you to think of a time when you were completely happy and relaxed. It could be with your family," Alex coughed encouragingly, as if to say a family memory should be his happiest, "your friends or perhaps on your own. I want you to hold on to that thought and remember how calm and content you felt and let that feeling wash over you."

Charley took a deep breath and focussed solely on Alex's voice.

He could feel his heart rate slowing but he didn't want to get too comfortable. He remained alert enough so he wouldn't fall under. He wasn't the sort of person who fell into trance easily, except when it came to vampires, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"Where are you in your happy place?" asked Alex.

"The holiday we had last year, just you and me, no kids."

Alex blushed.

"Keep those happy thoughts with you. Remember the times we spent relaxing on the beach at Lido, the sun beating down on your face, or exploring the culture and architecture. The whole experience was beautiful and calm. You had no cares in the world."

Charley took another deep breath. His eyes were still open; he was too afraid to close them.

"Now let those memories gently fade away but keep hold of that calm, relaxed feeling. Your mind is empty but the tranquillity remains. Tell me how you're feeling."

"Calm; at peace."

"No feelings of anxiety?"

"No, but I can still see the streets of Venice."

Charley allowed his eyes to close.

"Try to clear your mind. Just focus on my voice and the feelings of relaxation."

"You're not there; I can't find you." said Charley, starting to sound agitated.

"That's ok. I don't need to be there. I'm here beside you."

"You're screaming but I can't get to you."

"I'm not screaming. I'm fine. I'm right here beside you." she squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"The sun's too bright, I can't see."

"Charley, try to calm down."

"Ahhh! It's burning!"

"Charley, I need you to follow the sound of my voice."

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

"Charley, wake up!"

Alex shook him. He opened his eyes and stopped screaming. He wrapped his arms around Alex's neck and buried his head in her shoulders.

"It's ok, you're safe now. Nothing's going to hurt you." she stroked his back as he wept.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Charley was sat in his study in his pyjamas with a glass of bourbon in his hand. He'd been there for the past hour, terrified of falling asleep. If he did manage to sleep he was woken up every ten minutes by his nightmares.

The lack of sleep was forming dark circles under his eyes and his complexion was pasty, verging on yellow. He was looking more and more like a creature of the undead from his nightmares.

Today was Judy's homecoming but the days were merging into one for Charley that he didn't even realise it was the weekend.

A few more hours past and the daybreak started to peer through the blinds.

The house began to stir.

Alex walked past the study to get to the bathroom and noticed Charley sat in his chair, daydreaming.

The bourbon was warm and thick down his throat. The taste was unexpectedly metallic but it felt so smooth on his tongue that he chose to ignore it. The bottle glinted in the sunlight reflecting its bright rays into Charley's eyes. A shimmering red silhouette of the bottle formed a shadow on the desk. Its neck began to drip with blood overflowing from the spout. It ran over the desk and off the side. Charley wasn't fazed by the sight; what made him jolt back into consciousness was the overwhelming urge to lick it off the desk before the precious blood was lost to the carpet.

Alex spotted the shock that momentarily took hold of him.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked.

"Not really." he replied wearily.

"I hope you're not planning on having a liquid breakfast this morning, unless the half empty bottle means you've already had one."

"Oh, no, I didn't drink that much tonight. I spilt some."

"Just as long as it doesn't become a habit."

"I'll do what I damn well please! I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I didn't mean to snap."

"You're sleep deprived and cranky, I understand, but if you speak to me like that again I'll punish you, and not in a kinky way."

"I'm sorry." He looked down at the last amber droplets in his glass.

"What did you daydream about just now? I saw you shudder."

"The bourbon turned into blood." he didn't hesitate anymore. His disturbing visions were starting to become the norm.

"Oh, that's rather tame for you."

"That wasn't the scary part. It was the craving I had for it. I could taste it in my mouth. I wanted to drink it all, even suck up what I spilled out of the carpet."

"I see." Alex was running out of ways to respond to Charley's visions and nightmares. He was becoming nonchalant about it. "Make sure you get dressed. Judy will be home soon."

"It's Saturday?"

"No, it's Friday. She's coming home a day early, remember? Now hurry up."

Charley slumped his way downstairs. Every step, every action was such an effort. He wasn't quite sure how he'd managed to get dressed. His body was on autopilot.

His first port of call was the coffee machine. It was the only thing that made him barely functional.

He opened the cupboard door but it was completely void of cups. He searched the other cupboards and the sink and the dishwasher but there wasn't a single cup in the entire kitchen. His weary mind couldn't think what to do. He returned to the first cupboard again not expecting to find anything but there was one mug right at the back. It wasn't one he recognised. All of their coffee cups were cream with gold filigree around the rim to match the kitchen decor but this one was dark; black inside and out. It had been used. It had the smell of old coffee, instant coffee; a rather particular smell that propelled his memories back to his college days and the mugs he used in his dorm room. It reminded him of one night in particular; the night he was first bitten by Regine. She came into his room to light her cigarette and he was making her coffee in a cup just like this one.

The mug slipped from his fingers and crashed to the floor.

Alex rushed in when she heard the commotion.

"What happened?"

Charley was just staring at the shattered pieces on the floor.

"Fetch the dustpan from under the sink." she requested.

"That mug, it's impossible. It's thirty years old, how can it be here?"

"What are you talking about? Please, get me the dustpan."

He obliged and when he looked again the broken pieces of porcelain were cream coloured.

"How? It wasn't...that wasn't there...that's not the same mug."

"Unless you're having a Greek party in here and have smashed more than one piece of my crockery then this is the same mug."

"It was black."

"We don't have any black mugs."

"Just like my dorm. Just like the one I made her coffee in." he whispered.

"What are you mumbling about? Were you daydreaming again?"

"I can't take this anymore! Everything I see, everything I do reminds me of her! I'm not even going to be able to drink a cup of coffee now without thinking of her."

"Calm down. Take a few deep breaths. Go and sit at the table and I'll make you a relaxing herbal tea."

He obeyed, resting his head in his hand.

Alex handed him the tea and sat beside him.

"You have to get some sleep. You can't carry on like this."

"I know."

"I'm going to help you through this but for now you need to pull yourself together. Judy will be here any minute. You don't want her to see you like this, do you?" Charley shook his head. "Finish your tea, go upstairs and wash your face and comb your hair. You'll feel better for it."

He kissed his loving wife tenderly on the forehead.

Charley sat on the toilet with his head between his knees. His head was pounding. He had failed to satisfy his caffeine addiction this morning and was paying the price.

He filled the sink with cold water and allowed his head to plunge into the clear pool, the icy sharpness cutting into his cheeks. It sharpened his mind if only for a moment.

His bleary eyes stared at the haggard man in the mirror, a man he barely recognised. He appeared to have aged ten years in the past week. His under eyes were dark and chiselled with deep wrinkles. He hadn't shaved in days and Charley always liked to be clean shaven.

He took out his shaving foam and blade from the cupboard.

He always found this to be a relaxing activity and liked to take his time, not only to be cautious so he wouldn't cut himself but to enjoy the experience and appreciate these moments of peace and quiet. He often treated himself to a close shave and face massage at the barbers so he did his best to recreate the sensation at home.

The mirror began to steam up, clouding his view. He had accidentally left the hot water tap running in the sink and the steam was filling the small en suite. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck, the sensation reminiscent of a tongue gently licking him.

A shadow cast over the frosted mirror. Charley wiped away the condensation. Regine's face floated behind his shoulder. He could feel her hands massaging his shoulders and then slide down his arms. He was petrified with equal measure of horror and arousal. She kissed his neck and nibbled his ear. She guided his hand to continue shaving the other half of his face. She forced his chin up so the blade could reach his neck. The edge nicked him and drew blood. She wiped the remnants of shaving foam from his face and licked the oozing cut clean. Charley let out a submissive sigh. It continued to bleed. She removed the delicious blood with her finger and spread it on Charley's mouth. He couldn't resist licking it off his lips and sucking her finger clean. The moment he did his eyes dilated with lust and a hunger for more blood. It was like that first taste he had in his dream, a warmth spreading through his entire body radiating from his core, and the sheer euphoria of that first drop on his tongue, but that was just a dream and so was this. Even so, it felt so real.

Regine took her nail and made a cut in her own neck. His eyes widened with a desire that words could not describe and that he could not ignore. He kissed her neck, sucking the blood out of the wound. He strained hard to get what he needed from such a small cut. His hunger yearned for more blood; more of Regine's tantalising beauty.

When Charley opened his eyes Regine had disappeared, vanished into the ether of his imagination. His neck was still bleeding. He dabbed it with his finger to taste it. He spat it out. It was bitter and unappetising. He plunged his head back into the sink full of water in an attempt to wash away his latest vision. He felt ashamed.

Judy still had her key to the front door and let herself in.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" her voice echoed throughout the house.

Alex ran in from the kitchen and hugged her daughter to the point of near suffocation. Charley came downstairs and embraced Judy, kissing her on the head.

"What happened, Dad?" asked Judy, noticing the plaster on his neck.

"I just cut myself shaving. It's great to have you home Sweetie." he said.

A tall young man followed Judy into the house. He wore jeans, a leather jacket and a red scarf. His dark hair was slicked back with gel. His bright, hazel eyes illuminated over sharp cheek bones and a chiselled jaw. He had the good looks of a man Charley had known before.

"Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend Jeremy."

"A pleasure to meet you Mr and Mrs Brewster," Charley went to shake his hand, "please call me Jerry."

Charley's face dropped and his hand fell away.

"Dad, don't be rude."

Charley was stunned to silence. The name transported him back to his teenage years and the familiarity in his face reminded him of his old vampire neighbour, Jerry Dandridge.

"It's lovely to meet you Jerry." Alex interjected. "I'm sorry about my husband. He hasn't had a lot of sleep lately. He knew someone called Jerry once; had a rather traumatic experience."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you dear. Welcome to our home." She showed Jerry into the living room. Charley remained a petrified statue. "I hope you'll be around long enough for Pete's birthday. You might even be able to meet some of the family."

"We're leaving first thing Monday morning." said Judy.

"So soon? I thought you might at least be able to stay the week. You'll miss Pete's birthday."

"Mom, it's spring break. Everyone's meeting at the coast. I wanted to come home and see you first and I hoped Jerry and I could get some studying done before we go."

"Not to worry, we'll just have to make the most of the weekend. Let's take your bags up to your room."

Judy kissed Jerry on the cheek.

"I'll be down in a sec. Make small talk with dad. He's a great guy he's just acting a bit weird at the moment."

Alex elbowed Charley in the back as she walked past, jolting him out of his stupor.

"Be nice." she whispered.

He was now alone with Jerry.

An awkward silence fell upon them.

"Judy's great." said Jerry, nervously.

Charley didn't acknowledge that he'd spoken.

"She's a fantastic girl, _and she tastes delicious_."

"What?"

"I said Judy's an amazing girl; a real credit to you."

"Yeah, we're very proud of her. She studies hard and she's got a bright future ahead of her. She doesn't need any distractions."

"Of course Sir, I understand that. We give each other plenty of space to study. I'm working on a science diploma myself so that takes up a lot of my time."

"You're busy, that's good."

" _Of course when we do get a moment alone we're at it like rabbits!"_

"Excuse me?"

"I didn't say anything." The awkward silence returned as Charley stared at Jerry accusingly.

" _You're hallucinating old man. Your mind has finally snapped and you're talking to yourself. Your disturbed, sleep deprived brain thinks me the reincarnation of a vampire you once knew, but then again, perhaps I am. Perhaps I'm talking to you telepathically hoping your already fragile mind will succumb to my tricks. I've been patient with Judy, oh so patient, but now I can't wait to see what she tastes like._ "

"You will not touch her!"

" _You've wondered too, haven't you? You're curious as to what each of your family members tastes like, you've fantasised about it, although you already know what your wife tastes like, don't you?"_

"Shut up!"

" _It always takes my breath away at how warm their blood is straight from the vein, even after all this time. I think that's my favourite part, the first bite."_

"Stop, you can't have my family."

" _No, because you want them for yourself!"_ Jerry's face morphed into that of Jerry Dandridge to Charley's horror. His back rested against the nearby wall, stunned.

Charley fumbled around in his pocket for a small cross necklace pendant. He had found it in one of the drawers in his study and decided to keep it on him just in case his visions ever became reality.

He held it out in front of him but Jerry just threw his head back and laughed.

" _You have to have faith for that to work, and you've lost that faith over the years."_

Charley could feel the rage and hatred scolding his insides but as he stepped forward to approach Jerry, the room went black. All his senses failed him. He couldn't hear or see anything. He couldn't speak. He felt nothing.

Charley opened his eyes to the sight of Alex patting his forehead with a damp cloth and Judy resting her head on Jerry's shoulder, a look of sadness and worry in her eyes. He got up too quickly, determined to remove Jerry's arm from his daughter's back and his head flooded with pain and dizziness.

"Just relax." said Alex, guiding his shoulders back onto the cushion. "You've been out cold for ten minutes. Give yourself a chance to get your bearings."

Charley's temples were throbbing. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He was convinced he had seen Jerry lick his lips in Charley's direction, sensing the blood pumping erratically around his body.

"Are you alright Sir?" asked Jerry, taking a confident bite out of an apple.

Charley felt his blood boil once more. The apple was an all too familiar reminder of a distant memory.

He could've sworn he saw Jerry smirk at the recognition.

"What happened this time?" asked Alex, concerned even more than normal.

"This time? You mean Dad's had episodes like this before?" exclaimed Judy.

"Don't call them episodes. What happened?" she repeated, still delicately tending to his head with the cloth.

"I'm not sure, it was just another daydream."

"He was shouting things like 'You won't take my family', like he was talking to me but I hadn't said anything." Jerry interjected.

"No one asked you." said Charley, disdainfully.

"Dad! Don't talk to Jerry like that. He's only trying to help."

"Did you imagine Jerry was talking to you?" Alex asked.

Charley whispered so only Alex could hear, "He _was_ talking to me, telepathically."

Alex raised her eyebrows. Her husband was getting worse and she wasn't sure how best to help him.

"Jeremy is Jerry." said Charley, continuing to whisper. "He's the vampire reincarnated, or at least one of his descendants."

"Charley, are you sure it wasn't just one of your daydreams?"

Charley rubbed his eyes to dispel the pain.

She wasn't going to understand and he couldn't explain properly with Jeremy in the room.

"I don't feel well. I'm going to have a cup of blood and go to bed." He stood up, fighting through the beating drum in his head.

"Charley." said Alex.

"What?"

"I think you mean coffee."

"What did I say?"

 _Blood_ , she mimed with her lips.

"Of course, coffee, sorry, just a slit of the throat, slip of the tongue." he corrected himself and slumped to the kitchen.

"Is dad ok?"

"He'll be fine. He hasn't been able to sleep lately but I think now it's really getting to him. Don't worry, all he needs is a few good night's rest."

Pete and Chloe came home from school that afternoon and ran straight upstairs.

"Hi Mom." yelled Chloe as she sailed past in the blink of an eye.

Charley called up to Pete as he whizzed by.

"Hey Pete, I want to talk with you."

Pete paused half way up the staircase but ignored his father.

"Mom, is Judy home yet?" he asked.

"She's in her room." she called from the living room.

He continued up the stairs to see his sister.

"I was talking to you, young man."

Pete ignored him again.

Charley slumped on the sofa next to Alex.

"How am I supposed to work things out with him if he won't even talk to me?"

"Give him time, he'll come around."

"It's been nearly a week."

"Then go up to him. Make him sit down with you. Explain to him what's been wrong with you lately, to a point. He's a bright kid, he'll understand."

He kissed Alex on the cheek and went to find Pete.

Charley overheard Pete talking with Judy and Jerry so he loitered on the top step.

"We should play video games some time." suggested Jerry.

"That would be awesome." said Pete. "The only person whoever wants to play with me is my Dad and he's not very good when it comes to fighting or racing. I beat him all the time."

Charley thought Pete liked playing video games with him.

"Well, I'd be happy to be healthy competition for you. Some new blood."

Charley shuddered. Why did he have to mention blood?

"Thanks. It was nice to meet you Jer."

"You too kid." Jerry held out his hand for a fist bump.

Charley waited for Pete to enter his room before following. Luckily, he left the door ajar so Charley could poke his head through the gap to test the waters.

"How are you doing buddy?"

Pete didn't respond.

"Can we talk for a sec?"

Pete remained silent.

"That's ok. I want to do most of the talking anyway." Charley entered the room and closed the door.

Pete sat at his desk with his school bag, his back facing Charley.

"You've barely said two words to me all week and I know it's because I shouted at you the other day. I just wanted to apologise."

Pete still said nothing.

"Pete will you turn around and listen to me!" he said with a raised voice.

Pete swung his chair around and glared at Charley. This was the exact attitude that had got him upset.

Charley sat on the end of the bed, his shoulders slumped and his arms hanging between his knees.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I haven't been sleeping lately and it's been making me grouchy. I know that's no excuse for shouting at you but I just want you to understand why I haven't been myself lately."

"You have been pretty distant lately."

"I know. I've had a lot going through my mind."

Pete looked at the floor. His eyes were sad.

"I've been having nightmares and they've been keeping me awake at night and now I'm too afraid to fall asleep."

"You're afraid?"

"Yeah. I may be your Dad but I'm not superhuman. Grown-ups get scared too. This has been going on for nearly two weeks and there's only so long the human body can cope without sleep before the body and mind start to give up."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure but your Mom and I are figuring it out." That sounded more optimistic than Charley felt right now.

"Is there anything I can do?"

These were the moments when Charley truly appreciated his son. He had such a kind heart he was always willing to help anyone.

"No, but thank you." Charley punched Pete in the shoulder playfully.

They exchanged a smile.

"Are we ok now?" asked Charley. "You're not mad at me anymore?"

"I guess so."

"Let me make it up to you."

"How?"

"Just by spending time with you. I haven't figured out the details yet. Anything you want to do."

"There's an exhibition at the library tomorrow about classic horror movies. They might have a section on Peter Vincent." he said enthusiastically.

"Sure, we can do that."

"We could all go."

"All?"

"Yeah, Mom, Chloe, Judy and maybe Jerry would like to come too. He seems cool."

"Jerry has to study. I'm sure he won't have the time." Charley hoped.

"But we can ask him, right?"

"Sure." said Charley reluctantly.

"Great, I'll ask him now."

Pete jumped up and raced out the door excited.

There was no version of this scenario that Charley liked. If Jerry came he would have to spend time with him. If Judy and Jerry stayed home to study but Alex and Chloe decided to come, then they would be in the house on their own and there was no way that was happening under his roof. Even if he and Pete went on their own his three girls would still be in the house with _him_ and Alex wouldn't be keeping a suspicious eye on him like Charley would. They were all taken in by his charm but Charley knew better than to trust a man who could talk his way out of anything.

"They're coming! Jerry's totally up for it. Judy said this can be my birthday time seeing as she's not going to be here for my actual birthday. You can make it my birthday present too if you like."

"So, you don't want to go bowling next week? OK, fine, I'll call your friends and cancel the party."

"No, I wanna go! I take it back. I'll go check with Mom."

Great. A day trip with Jerry.

He had reached Hell.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The library was busier than Charley had ever seen it. The exhibition was an exercise in raising money for the local libraries and it had turned out a good crowd. The tables had been pushed aside in the main hall to display memorabilia and props from various classic horror movies, showing the evolution of the genre through the decades. One section housed movie scripts and classic and modern literature. Another section focussed solely on vampires.

Pete spotted the display he had been hoping for and ran straight to it; a table dedicated to Peter Vincent and Fright Night. A lot of Peter's own personal props from his films were on show along with a life-size cardboard cut-out of Peter from the TV show.

"I know this guy. I used to stay up late with my Dad watching reruns of Fright Night." said Jerry.

"I knew him. We used to be quite close friends." Charley boasted. Jerry looked impressed. "In fact, we named Pete after him. He was deeply moved when we told him we were to name our son after him."

"Wow Mr Brewster. I didn't know you had Hollywood connections."

"Yeah, Peter Vincent was a pretty awesome guy. He showed me round a few film sets and introduced me to some famous actors back in the day."

"Like who?"

"I wouldn't want to name drop, but I do remember meeting an up-and-comer who starred in a couple of my favourite vampire movies from the eighties. William Ragsdale was his name, he was a great guy."

"Did you ever meet Christopher Lee?" asked Jerry. "He's my ultimate when it comes to horror."

"Unfortunately not, but I've seen all of the old Dracula movies. He is definitely one of the best."

Charley felt weird. He was actually having a civilised conversation with the man who was the physical embodiment of his fears. If he continued he might find himself liking Jerry. That couldn't happen. The suspicions he had about Jerry may just be in his head but he couldn't let his emotions be clouded by Jerry's white teeth, shiny hair and mutual love of horror. He had to remain cautious, if only for Judy's sake.

"Wow, look! That's Peter's cross from Scream For Your Supper, and his stake gun from Blood Feast On Broadway. Oh, there's his pistol from Orgy of the Damned."

"Peter!" exclaimed Alex. "I don't like you using the word orgy. I hope your father hasn't let you watch that film before you're old enough." Alex shot Charley a stern look.

"No, Mom." Pete replied innocently, winking at Charley.

They continued to browse the exhibit when Charley found something from his memories.

He picked up the little gold compact and examined it. He pushed the button at the side which flipped it open revealing the empty contents of the cigarette case with a mirror on one side. Charley had thought it lost after the mirror was cracked at Jerry Dandridge's house. The mirror was indeed cracked with a shard missing. Peter had always carried a mirror around with him in his coat after their altercation with Jerry. It had been their saving grace in uncovering both Jerry and Regine's vampiric identities.

"Please don't touch the exhibits." insisted one of the stewards rather sternly. She was an elderly woman with a grey perm and a stocky physique.

"Sorry." said Charley, replacing the mirror.

He felt a tear forming but he blinked it away. He hadn't seen that mirror in years but seeing it again reminded him whole-heartedly of Peter.

He was suddenly overcome with a sense of loss and grief. He missed his friend and wished he was here to discuss his problems. Peter would've known what to do about Jerry and the disturbing visions in his head.

"Are you alright?" asked Alex, sensing his change in mood.

"Fine. It's just a bit overwhelming seeing all of this stuff again. So much of it belonged to Peter. It reminds me of him."

"You miss him, don't you?"

Charley nodded.

"Do you need to take a moment outside?"

"No, this is Pete's day. Look at him. He's like a kid in a candy store."

Pete was absorbed by the Fright Night display but there were so many other things to see he didn't know where to look next. He ran over to a prosthetic mask of the Wolf Man yelling "Cool!"

As Charley glanced around the hall taking it all in, he lost sight of Judy and Jerry. He'd last spotted them lurking near one of the corner tables displaying props from an old Dracula movie but now they were nowhere to be seen. Charley tried not to panic at first but found himself growing increasingly anxious as his wandering eyes failed to find them.

"Where's Judy? Have you seen her?" he asked Alex.

"No, not for a few minutes."

"Where could she have gone?"

"She'll be fine. She's probably gone off exploring with Jerry."

"That's what I'm afraid of." he mumbled.

He continued to pace the hall searching for any sign of them. Then he heard Judy gasp and giggle.

They were hidden behind one of the tall exhibition stands and Charley swore he saw a flash of fang.

He picked up one of Peter Vincent's stakes at the Fright Night table and approached them cautiously.

Alex spotted his focussed stare and then noticed the stake in his hand.

Charley quietly approached Jerry from behind, stalking him with silent footsteps to maintain the element of surprise.

Jerry had his arms around Judy. He pulled her head to one side and opened his mouth wide. There they were. The sharp white fangs. He hadn't imagined it.

Charley held the stake firmly, hidden behind his back, primed and ready to strike. He raised the varnished wooden weapon above his head.

"Charley!" exclaimed Alex, keeping her volume minimal so as not to draw the attention of the crowd.

Judy and Jerry turned around.

"Dad, what are you doing?" concerned that he still had a stake hovering above her boyfriend's head.

"He's a vampire!" exclaimed Charley, wide eyed and stunned.

"Don't be silly, Jerry's just pretending. They're fake teeth from the gift shop."

Jerry removed the fangs and took a large step away from Judy.

"I know." said Charley agitatedly. "I was just playing along." He lowered the stake and laughed nervously, trying to convince them he was just fooling around.

"So, you were at the gift shop all this time." Judy nodded, her arms folded, unimpressed. "Who knew a library had a gift shop."

"It's for the exhibition. It's near the entrance. We passed it on the way in." explained Judy.

"Great gag. They almost look real." Charley eyed Jerry prudently, looking for any evidence of real fangs.

The elderly female steward approached Charley and practically snatched the stake from his hand.

"I will not ask you again to NOT touch the exhibits."

"Sorry. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't or I will have to ask you to leave."

Charley walked away sheepishly to where Pete was looking at a Frankenstein exhibit.

"What's going on?" Pete asked.

"Nothing, just a mishap with some fake vampire teeth from the gift shop."

"Cool, can I get a pair?"

"No."

They spent the next half an hour looking around the rest of the exhibit, all the while Charley barely took his eyes off Jerry. His accusation may have been a misunderstanding but he had been convinced too many times in the past that he'd misunderstood there was a vampire in the neighbourhood. He wasn't going to be so easily swayed any more until he found the proof he needed, one way or the other.

"Who wants ice cream?" asked Alex.

"Me!" yelled Pete and Chloe together, Pete raising his hand high in the air to prove he wanted it more than his sister.

Chloe rolled her eyes at her embarrassing brother.

"Oh Mom, taking your kids for ice cream is a little babyish don't you think?" said Judy, feeling embarrassed in front of Jerry.

"You're all still my babies."

"Mom!"

"Come on, we'll stop off at the parlour in town before we head home."

"I love ice cream Mrs Brewster." said Jerry.

"You see, it'll be fun. Charley, are you coming?" she called to her husband who was taking one last look at the life-size cut-out of Peter Vincent.

"Coming."

He hoped his hallucinations would kick in so the poster would come to life and he could see Peter wink at him or tell him everything was going to be ok, but it was just static cardboard.

Charley was in the kitchen staring out the window into the back yard. The serene picture before him was a welcome escape from the horrifying visions of his daily life but did very little to calm his agitated mind. The blossom on the trees held the promise of new beginnings but as the petals blew away in the breeze it only reminded him of the fragility of life and how everything could change in a moment. He hated how even something as innocent as the beauty of nature at springtime could be distorted and corrupted by his current state of mind.

Jerry entered the kitchen and startled Charley out of his daydream.

"Sorry Mr Brewster. I didn't mean to scare you." Charley could have sworn he saw the flicker of a smirk when he said 'scare.' He was teasing him and he didn't like the boy's games. He felt humiliated after the misunderstanding at the library and Jerry's mockery just made him feel smaller, but at least he hadn't hallucinated this time. The fangs had really been there even though they weren't real fangs.

Charley said nothing and walked to the cupboard to retrieve a mug.

"I just wanted to grab some snacks for me and Judy." he explained to fill the silence.

Charley nodded and grunted, keeping his eyes down avoiding eye contact.

"I hope I haven't offended you in any way Mr Brewster."

"No." he replied bluntly, taking a spoon from the drawer and switching on the coffee machine.

"I'm sorry about what happened at the library. It was an immature prank."

"I'm the one that took it too far." admitted Charley, hoping Jerry would believe that he was playing along with the joke.

"We'll put it behind us then." Jerry offered his hand for Charley to shake.

Charley returned his attention to his coffee and grunted in acknowledgement.

Jerry opened the refrigerator to get some cans of soda. He grabbed a large bag of chips from the counter and a couple of apples from the fruit basket.

"Do vampires eat chips and apples?" Jerry chuckled.

Charley had his back to Jerry as he was stirring his cup of coffee. He hunched his shoulders at the crunching sound of Jerry biting into his apple. Charley swung his head around and watched Jerry's back exit through the door. Charley shuddered at the memory of Jerry Dandridge and this minor similarity only cemented his paranoid suspicions that there was some connection between the dead vampire and Jeremy. Charley had to believe there were sinister intentions in Jeremy. A family connection maybe, like with Regine. If the boy wasn't a reincarnation of Jerry or had some sort of ties with him then Charley would have to admit that he may be losing his mind.

"Yes, they do." mumbled Charley.

Alex found Charley slumped at the dining table, his hands wrapped around, his now cold, cup of coffee, staring into the black pool.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, taking a seat opposite him.

"Fine." he sighed.

"Fine is a very inconclusive word. You're not fine, are you?"

"Not really."

"This sleep deprivation is really starting to affect you. I'm worried." she said, stroking his hand.

"I need something to knock me out."

"You need some sort of therapy to help reduce your nightmares."

"If you have any suggestions I'm all ears."

"I have an idea that might work but I think one of my colleagues should perform it."

"Can't you do it? I'd rather not see another therapist. Please."

"I really think…"

"Please." Charley interrupted.

"Well, perhaps I can try."

Alex had been meaning to ask Charley about what happened with Jerry at the library. She hoped to approach the matter delicately.

"I hope you weren't planning on actually using that stake earlier."

Charley looked up from his drink.

"Of course not...why would you think otherwise? You don't think I thought he was an ACTUAL vampire?" He stumbled over his words and laughed nervously.

All she had to do was look at him with that stare as if she was peering over her reading glasses.

"Ok, I may have freaked out a little when I saw the fangs but I wasn't going to hurt him. After everything I've been seeing lately you can forgive me for being a little wary. You know vampires exist so it's not irrational for me to keep my guard up."

"I know, but these paranoid fears that Jerry has some connection to this Jerry Dandridge isn't healthy."

"You have to admit there are similarities though."

"Like what?"

"He dresses a lot like him and he has similar facial features and expressions."

"How can you be so sure after over thirty years? You can't remember every detail of his face after all this time. What if you're projecting what you think you remember about the vampire onto Jerry?"

"You don't forget the face that terrorised you."

"What other connections are there?"

"He eats apples. He's always eating apples. Jerry Dandridge used to eat them all the time."

"A lot of people eat apples dear."

"Not like that. There's something about the way he does it. He's taunting me."

"Just because a vampire had a fondness for apples doesn't mean that every person who eats them is a vampire."

"Not everyone, just him."

"I think you're reading too much into this."

"But it's the things he says as well and the way he says them. It's like there's a familial connection to Jerry Dandridge?"

"Do you want to know what I think, in my professional opinion?"

"Of course, I want your help with this."

"I think you're just projecting. You want to believe so badly that Jerry has some ulterior motive that whatever Jerry does or says you associate with this dead vampire. But he _is_ dead Charley. He can't hurt you."

"But..."

"Please Charley, no 'buts'. You wanted my opinion now you have it. If you ask me I think there is some anxious tension mixed up in all of this as well to do with Judy. Empty Nest Syndrome they call it."

"What do you mean?"

"Judy's growing up, she's 'flown the nest' as it were and now she's bringing home boys. I think there's some anxiety about our baby girl growing up and becoming a woman. It's a big step in anyone's life and it can have a significant impact on the parent as well as the child, and your recent lack of sleep is heightening your emotions and escalating the problem. If you deal with those issues of insecurity then I believe your hostility towards Jerry will subside."

"I love it when you talk doctor."

"I'm serious Charley."

"I know and what you're saying makes sense."

"Approaching your sleep problem from a different angle might be the solution."

"Will you sit down with me to work through it?"

"Of course, but I really think you would benefit from speaking to someone else. If I can't help then will you promise to see Dr Cole? He works in my practice. I shouldn't really be treating my own husband in the first place. At least it's an issue you can discuss with a psychiatrist without having to mention vampires."

"Ok, I promise, but only if your way doesn't work."

Alex invited Charley to his study once the rest of the house had gone to bed. This was his private place where he could escape, so she thought it would be a better environment to discuss his problems. He might feel safer and more relaxed. He had failed to relax in the bedroom the last time she attempted this so the change of scenery might help.

Charley sat comfortably in his own chair and Alex pulled up a spare stool.

"Shall we begin?" she asked.

Charley nodded.

"Tell me about your relationship with Judy. What feelings are evoked when you think of her?"

"Our relationship is good. We've always had a mutual love and respect for each other. She's been more of a daddy's girl than Chloe so Judy tends to come to me with her problems. I've taken pride in the fact that I can comfort her and she feels like she can talk to me."

"Did she talk to you about Jeremy?"

"Not really. I knew she had a boyfriend but the details were somewhat lacking."

"How does that make you feel?"

"A little annoyed I guess. She always felt like she could confide in me but she didn't talk to me about him."

"Do you feel like that part of your relationship has changed?"

"Well, yeah. If she has a boyfriend then she won't need a dad as much. I guess I'm worried that we'll drift apart."

"That's a natural feeling when a child grows up. It's true that she may not rely on you for as much but she will still love you as she always has and there will still be times where she will need her dad."

"Like what?"

"Fixing up her first home, being a reliable grandfather, walking her down the aisle at her wedding."

"Not to him." Charley interrupted.

"This isn't about Jeremy."

"If it's not about Jeremy then what's the point of this? It's my hostility towards _him_ that's the problem, not Judy."

"But if we work through your feelings of anxiety about Judy growing up and your fears of losing her then it might make you feel better towards Jeremy and you can build on that relationship as well."

"I don't want any kind of relationship with him! I just want to stop having visions of him as a vampire and threatening the life of our baby girl!"

"Charley, please calm down and monitor your tone. I'm only trying to help in the only way I know how. You may find it long-winded but please try and go through this journey with me."

Charley huffed and tried to re-evaluate.

"Fine." he sat back and crossed his legs in a calm and comfortable position, his hands resting on the arms of the chair.

"As I was trying to say, your relationship may change, which is an inevitable part of life, but the foundations of it will still be based on the unconditional love you both share. It's ok to feel nervous about those changes but you don't need to fear them."

"So, I need to embrace the fact that Judy isn't a child anymore and let her live her life in the big bad world."

"Exactly. It may be difficult but it's something we can work through together. You still have two other children who rely on you, and the more our children drift away from us it opens up the opportunity for _our_ relationship to grow. We may find that we have more time for each other as the kids become more independent and that could be an exciting change for the both of us." She peered over her glasses in her sexy school mistress way.

Charley raised his eyebrows.

"We would have the time to explore our relationship in exciting ways. Spice things up a bit." She placed the end of her pen in the corner of her mouth suggestively.

"Why Dr Brewster, are you trying to seduce me?"

"So what if I am?" She twirled the pen in her mouth, her eyes narrowed invitingly.

"That's highly unethical. I am your patient and I will not be objectified in this way."

Alex tossed her pen and paper to the floor and stood up.

"I see you undressing me with your eyes." said Charley.

"How does that make you feel?" she uncrossed his legs with her knee and sat on his lap.

"Vulnerable, sexually harassed…horny." He removed Alex's glasses and kissed her, gently massaging her tongue with his.

"I have to admire your technique Doctor. I must admit you've made me forget all of my troubles and I can only think of one thing."

"And what might that be?"

"You can get inside my head. I'm sure you already know."

"I have an inkling." Charley kissed her again, wildly. "But I want you to tell me. Say it out loud." she demanded.

"I want to have my way with you, right here, right now."

"Tell me what you really want to do with me. Use your dirty words."

"I wanna fuck you till you scream!"

"It's been a long time since we made love on this desk; before all of the kids, when we were more spontaneous."

"We haven't lost that spontaneity; we just put it to one side for a while. I really feel like being spontaneous right about now."

Charley swiped his books and pens onto the floor and pushed his laptop to the far corner of the desk. He picked Alex up and sat her on the edge of the desk. He kissed her open mouth and caressed her lower back and buttocks with his wandering hands. They made their way around her hips and down her legs. He slid them up her skirt until he felt the laced edges of her underwear. He pulled them down and over her knees, letting gravity take them to her ankles, all the while kissing her with a fire so hot they both felt like teenagers again.

He unzipped his pants, took hold of his throbbing erection and placed it inside of her. They thrusted against one another, their rhythm perfectly in time to the other's movements.

Alex wrapped her arms around Charley's neck and pulled at his hair. They kissed again until Alex relinquished an involuntary moan. They were swept away in the moment. Alex couldn't contain her ecstasy. She moaned again, her vocalised pleasure enticing Charley to push harder.

Charley breathed heavily in her ear and her groans grew louder. It felt as though they were the only two people in the house, the only two people in the world; she didn't care if anyone heard her. The sheer pleasure coursing through their bodies transported them to a place of paradise.

The climax was coming. Charley thrust with added speed and vigour.

"Uh, Alex, I love you."

The only response Alex could offer was an orgasmic scream of pleasure.

Their overwhelmed sensations finally exploded and they rested in each other's arms before parting. They readjusted themselves and kissed.

"Do you think anyone heard us?" Alex giggled.

"If they did I think we've just scarred our kids for life." they chuckled mischievously like children. "I most certainly approve of your methods Dr Brewster."

"It feels like too long since we did anything like that."

"I've missed you." they exchanged a smile and kissed again. "I feel more like myself. Tonight's going to be different."

"Sex isn't going to suddenly rid you of your nightmares."

"I'm willing to test that theory, no matter how many times we have to experiment." he said playfully.

"But if you had a session with Dr Cole..." Alex buttoned up her blouse.

"Is he as tender a lover as you are?"

"I'm trying to be serious here Charley. It would make me feel better if you spoke with him. I believe he can help you."

"Not this again." Charley rolled his eyes.

"Yes, this again. It doesn't matter what you say, I've arranged for you to see him tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is Sunday."

"That doesn't matter. I've already called him. He's happy to do this for us."

"You planned this all along, didn't you? Seduce me and then I'll do anything."

"I didn't plan on fucking you, but I do think you'll benefit from speaking to someone else, someone who isn't me."

"Why is this Cole guy dragging his arse out of bed on a Sunday to do _you_ a favour?"

"Because we're work colleagues and we respect each other."

"Respect. Are you sure that's all it is?"

"For God's sake Charley, are you suddenly going to start acting all jealous now? Our relationship is purely professional. He hasn't once tried to get into my pants if that's what you're worried about. Besides, he's gay so there's more chance of him fancying you than me. Perhaps _I_ should be concerned."

"I didn't mean...it's just...I'm sorry...I'm just a little paranoid lately."

"The understatement of the decade."

"I didn't mean to accuse you of anything untoward."

"But somehow you did." she sighed and took his hand comfortingly. "Dr Cole is the best in my practice. Just give him a chance." Alex kissed her husband on the forehead.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Charley." whispered a strangely familiar voice. "Charley, is that you?"

His eyes stung as he peeled them open, crusty with blood and tears. His weary head hung from his shoulders, his wrists tied securely and painfully to a cross. The wooden structure scolded his vampiric flesh but he had been chained there for so long the pain just felt numb.

Charley strained to lift his head and saw an even more familiar face.

"Amy?"

Amy Peterson's youthful 20 year old self flung her arms around Charley's neck with sheer relief. She practically collapsed into his chest. He could feel her whole body shaking.

"How...?" he began, bemused, expecting this to be just another hallucination.

"It _is_ you. I couldn't believe it when I saw you." she relinquished her embrace and stood back. "Two men kidnapped me and brought me here. I don't know what they want. Why are _you_ here?"

"You were brought here under the orders of Regine. She brought you here because of me." His head sunk again.

"Who's Regine?"

"Jerry Dandridge's sister."

"You're kidding! No wonder she brought us here. She wants us dead."

"She wants _me_ dead. In fact, she wants me to suffer for all eternity. I think that's why you're here. It's just another one of her mind games. She's going to kill you in front of me or something just to torture me." he explained, sounding defeatist, accepting the hand he had been dealt.

"Don't give up on me now. We have to get out of here. I'll remove your chains and we can escape together."

"I don't think I have the strength."

"You have to Charley. I'm not about to become the victim of another vampire attack and I won't leave without you."

Amy took a hair pin from her loose bun and attempted to pick the locks on his chains. A curl of hair fell away, resting on her shoulder. She had grown her hair since Charley had seen her two years ago. It suited her.

"When did you learn to assist prison breakouts?"

"I'm sure it can't be that difficult. They do it in movies all the time."

She tinkered a while longer and then something clicked.

"Oh my god, I can't believe that worked." she exclaimed.

Charley's arm fell harshly by his side. His feet were able to touch the floor relieving the strain on the other wrist.

As they struggled with the other lock, a noise came from the hallway.

The floorboards creaked. It sounded like footsteps.

"Someone's coming." exclaimed Amy, pulling away from the chains and holding onto Charley's chest for comfort.

The creaking got louder.

Whoever it was, was lurking just outside, their shadow cast under the door.

They paced for a while, then the footsteps grew softer as they walked away.

They waited until whoever it was had gone.

Amy looked up at Charley's bruised face. She brushed a delicate finger along his cheeks and his forehead where there were the most prominent injuries. Their eyes locked for several moments. Charley felt his heart skip for the first time since his ordeal, indeed it was a feeling he had never actually felt with Alex. He was transported to their high school days when life was simpler and the only existence of vampires they knew were the fictional ones on screen and in books.

"I've missed you Charley."

"I've missed you too."

"What happened to us? Why did it all go so wrong?"

"I don't know but I'm sorry. I'm sorry we ended it like we did and I'm sorry you're caught up in this now. Regine's probably going to kill you just to torture me and you don't deserve it." A tear formed in the corner of Charley's eye. Amy wiped it away.

"It's not your fault." She stoked his face a little more, running her fingers down his neck and onto his chest. "Kiss me."

He obliged.

The cut on his lip stung but he didn't care. A roaring passion burned inside of him that he hadn't felt in years. Amy had always been very special to him and this moment reminded him of that. Amid his college life and Alex and more vampires, he had forgotten.

This newly found clarity and passion restored some of his vigour. He found the strength to rip the remaining chains from the cross. He was free, at least in part.

Amy smiled, pleased that her kiss had sparked a fire in him. He had a renewed sense of determination.

Charley smiled for the first time for what felt like a lifetime. There was hope. He just might escape and save Amy from the torment.

He kissed Amy again.

"I love you." he said.

Amy giggled but not in a flattered, flirtatious way. She was mocking him.

"You are just too easy. What fun would it be to just watch me die? You had started to give up. You needed a new lease of life. Voila. One reenergised vampire primed for new bouts of torture."

"You know I'm a vampire?"

"Of course. We can sense each other. I'm surprised you didn't suspect me, but then again you were pretty out of it."

"You're a vampire?"

"Did Regine knock all of your brain cells out? She tracked me down, turned me and ordered me to reawaken you. Torture was failing to have the desired results in you as you had resigned yourself to your fate. I needed to fill you with hope and Regine needed to approach your torture from a different angle. She said seeing me as a vampire, undoing all what you had done the first time to try and save me, would be far more torture than simply killing me."

"You're taking orders from Regine now?"

"She's my maker. I'm loyal to her which is why it pains me to do this to you. I still love you Charley but my mistress's happiness is more important to me than yours."

She bared her teeth and sunk them into Charley's neck.

Charley lifted his head off the desk with a start. He glanced at his watch. He had managed to sleep for four hours. It was the longest he had slept in one session all week. He actually felt a little rested despite his nightmares taking a new turn. He hadn't seen or thought about Amy for over 30 years and conjuring her up as a bloodthirsty vampire is not how he wanted to remember her.

That morning, Charley showered to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking downstairs. He was washed, clean shaven and pulled on a fresh pair of slacks and a checked shirt. He felt more like himself than he had in weeks.

Alex was frying the bacon whilst trying to stir the scrambled egg. She added some spinach to the pan and placed the bread in the toaster. Charley grabbed his wife from behind, dug his chin into her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. He spun her around, wooden spoon still in hand and kissed her full on the lips.

"What was that for?" she asked, surprised and delighted.

"I feel great today. I actually slept last night and I feel so much better."

"That's wonderful. No nightmares?"

"Still nightmares but I managed to sleep through them. I feel rested for the first time in so long. It feels like I've turned a corner and there's a chance I can get through this."

Alex kissed Charley in relief.

"I'm so happy for you, but don't think that means you can weasel out of seeing Dr Cole today. You're still going to your appointment."

"Fine." he huffed.

"One night's sleep isn't a miracle cure. It'll take time but hopefully this is a turning point."

"I hope so." He drew in a deep breath. "Breakfast smells amazing."

"Sit down at the table and I'll bring it over. Will you call the kids to come down?"

"Kids! Breakfast is ready!"

Charley couldn't remember the last time he had sat down for a meal with all of his family. He ignored the fact that Jerry had infiltrated the dining table and took time to appreciate his three children and his beautiful wife.

"You're feeling better today Dad?" asked Judy.

"Much better thank you sweetheart. Jerry, we got off on the wrong foot yesterday. I hope we have time to get to know each other before you leave."

"Of course, Mr. Brewster, I'd like that very much."

Judy squeezed Jerry's hand and smiled at her father.

For this brief moment, everything was right with the world.

"Aren't you eating dear?" said Alex to Jerry.

"No thank you Mrs Brewster. I'm a vegan. I'll grab an apple before Judy and I head out later."

Charley's eye twitched. He glared at Alex as if to say 'What did I tell you?'

The moment was shattered.

Charley was grateful for his restful night because he suddenly found himself thrown into a non-stop day. He might as well add not honouring the Sabbath to his list of recent sins. Charley had agreed to spend the afternoon with Jerry and Judy but that was after he'd visited Dr Cole at Alex's practice and picked up his camera from the repair shop so he could share his hobby with the boyfriend. He was determined to put aside his paranoid fears of Jerry being a vampire and forge a relationship with the man that made his daughter happy. He convinced himself that it was just his sleep deprived mind playing tricks on him and the fact that his name was Jerry had nothing to do with Jerry Dandridge. It was just one of those serendipitous coincidences.

It was 10am and Charley sat in his car outside Dr Cole's office tapping nervously on the steering wheel.

There wasn't a soul in the vicinity which sent an eerie chill down Charley's spine. The area felt abandoned like a quarantined zone or the site of an unexploded bomb.

The light switched on in Dr Cole's office and he saw the shadow of a man through the closed blinds.

Charley took a deep breath and exited the car.

This was going to work. He trusted Alex. She knew what was best for him. If she believed that Dr Cole could help then he believed too.

Charley tapped gently on the door hoping he wouldn't be heard, staring at the gold embossed lettering on the brushed steel plaque.

DR. WILLIAM COLE PSYD. ABPP.

He was desperate to run down the hall and drive away. His foot subconsciously turned to face the exit.

The handle turned and the door creaked open.

Too late.

"Charley." exclaimed Dr Cole in a friendly manner, like they'd been friends for years. "Do come in." He closed the door behind them. Charley's heartbeat quickened.

He couldn't have been any older than thirty two but he looked like a twenty year old.

"Take a seat. Make yourself comfortable. Can I get you a drink?"

"You don't have any hard liquor do you?"

"You'd be surprised how many people ask that, but no."

"Coffee will be fine, thanks."

There was a small cabinet in the corner of the room with a kettle on it and a cupboard full of mugs, tea and coffee.

"How long have you been doing this?" asked Charley.

"Almost a year at this practice but I've had a lot of experience in prisons and hospitals. After all of that intensity I wanted to settle down into a consistent clinical psychiatric job. Your wife's practice was a life saver."

Dr Cole settled the steaming mugs down on the table in between them and sat down, pen and paper in hand.

"So, Alex tells me you wish to discuss feelings that could be related to Empty Nest Syndrome. Quite a common occurrence in men and women of your age who have children old enough to be moving out. How have you felt since your daughter moved out of the family home?"

"She's only moved to college and she's in her second year. I think I've gotten used to the idea by now."

"If you didn't process any anxieties you may have had early on then they may be manifesting themselves now."

"I don't recall any anxieties when she left. Yeah it was emotional, of course it was. We all shed a little tear when she said goodbye but I have two other children to look after and a job. Life just kind of moved along."

"Did you find yourself missing her?"

"Of course I did, she was my first, my baby girl. We used to do a lot together and when she wasn't around it left a void in my life, but I can't say that it affected me in any significant way psychologically."

"What about..."

"Listen, Dr Cole..."

"Please, call me Bill." he interrupted. _"Your wife does when I fuck her in the staff room."_

Charley ignored the voice inside his head, shaking the delusion from his mind.

"I don't want to waste your time. I appreciate you taking time out of your Sunday but perhaps we should do this another day." Or not at all, he thought.

"It's my duty of care to help patients such as yourself, especially when they're my boss's husband. We're both here now. This can just be an informal chat if you'd prefer. It doesn't need to be anything more." He put down his pen and paper and crossed his legs, placing his hands on his knee. "Let's forget the past and talk about the present. Why don't you tell me what life has been like around your family lately? Do you have any concerns or anxieties? Or perhaps things have been good. You can discuss positive emotions as well as the negative ones."

Charley huffed.

There was no easy way out of this. He tried to dig deep into his feelings, which wasn't easy, but he kept telling himself he was doing this for Alex.

"My relationships with my family are as good as they've ever been. My two youngest are teenagers so they pretty much ignore me most of the time, although Pete still likes to have father son moments."

"What do you get up to?"

"The usual sort of stuff. We play baseball, basketball, video games. I help him with his homework and tell him stories."

"What sort of stories?"

He didn't want to say it. He wasn't supposed to bring up his fanged nemesis.

"Mostly about vampires." he practically mumbled the word. "I used to be close friends with Peter Vincent so Pete likes to hear all about our time together and his adventures."

"The guy from Fright Night? I loved that show."

"Yeah, it was great." said Charley dismissively, hoping Dr Cole would shift the conversation away from vampires and back to his family.

"Do you feel your relationship with your son has changed at all? Perhaps in a negative way."

"No, he's still my little man."

"What about your youngest daughter, um?"

"Chloe." finished Charley. "She's your typical sixteen year old girl. I'm the most uncool person in the world so I have to basically pretend like I don't exist when her friends come over, but I still get a hug at bedtime and when she thinks nobody's looking."

"How would you rate your relationship with her?"

"It's fine. I know what to expect with Chloe. We have our moments which reaffirms to me that she still loves me underneath all of the popular girl facade."

"How about Alex?"

"What about Alex?" Charley asked through gritted teeth.

" _Does she let you fuck her up the arse too?_ How has your marriage been lately?"

"Great." answered Charley, too quickly and too forcefully.

"I'm not here to judge and I'm not trying to pry."

"And yet it feels like you're doing both."

Dr Cole guffawed nervously.

"I'm just trying to get a sense of your home life and Alex would play a big part in that. Your response suggests that everything isn't fine but I understand if you're reluctant to talk about it."

"You're very insightful." said Charley sarcastically.

"We only need to talk about the things you're comfortable with. What if I broke it down for you? How's your love life? Have you had sex recently?"

Did Charley see a glimmer in the doctor's eyes? It was like he knew.

"That is a topic that is definitely off limits."

"Of course, sorry." he stumbled over his words trying to regain control of the conversation.

In that moment, his youth and inexperience was exposed.

"Have you found yourself arguing lately?"

Charley really didn't like discussing his wife with some kid he didn't know but whom did know his wife.

"A little but only because I haven't been sleeping lately and I've been a bit snappy. She's worried about me which makes _her_ snappy so we clash, which is why I'm here, because she thinks you can help."

"So do I and I hope I can. Why haven't you been sleeping?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Alex says you've been having nightmares."

"Which I do not wish to discuss with you."

"She mentioned that you might benefit from a few sessions of therapy in order to reduce them."

"Of course she did."

"There's a technique which I think might work for you. Imagery Rehearsal Therapy enables you to change the outcome of your nightmares. When awake, you think of the nightmare in your mind's eye but make up a different ending; one that's happier and less scary. You replay it over and over in your head and studies have shown that it improves your nightmares and makes them less frequent."

"Just by thinking of a happy ending." said Charley, unconvinced and realising the innuendo in his words.

"In sum, yes."

"I thought the issue was this Flown the Nest Syndrome."

"Empty Nest Syndrome. We can discuss the nightmares at another time."

No, we won't, thought Charley.

"We'll discuss your relationship with Judy. How do you feel things have changed between you?"

Charley was getting twitchy and irritable. He was finding this whole process exhausting.

"I guess she seems a little more distant than before. When she came home the other day I didn't feel that same connection."

"Why was that?"

"I don't know."

"Was there something different this time around?"

The agonising thought of Jerry flooded his mind.

"She brought home a boyfriend." he said blasé, trying to give off the impression that Jerry didn't bother him.

"Did this cause some animosity in the house?" Dr Cole sat up in his chair. This was the sort of dilemma he could get his teeth into.

"He seems nice enough but I don't trust him."

"Has he done something to make you question his loyalty?"

Only all the shit he imagined in his head and the unrelenting suspicion that he has some connection to Jerry Dandridge.

"Well, not exactly."

"Hmm."

Charley sighed at the use of that sound. He hated it when Alex hummed at him. He knows they're thinking something but they don't tell him what they're thinking, then Charley's paranoid imagination begins to conjure up all sorts.

"Does Judy seem uncomfortable around him?"

"No. She completely smitten."

"How about the rest of the house? Do her siblings and Alex approve of him?"

"They can't see anything wrong with him." They think the sun shines out of his arse, he thought.

"Hmm."

"Don't say 'hmm'. What does 'hmm' mean? You clearly think you've figured something out so quit with the suspense."

Dr Cole sighed and gave Charley a somewhat patronising stare. He didn't want to indulge Charley's outburst but he answered the question none-the-less.

"In my opinion, your hostility towards Judy's boyfriend is a result of feeling like you're losing her. He's the cause of your daughter becoming a woman and the one who could take her away from you and somewhat replace you as the man in her life. I think the prospect of that scares you and you're channelling those anxieties towards the boyfriend. If you accept the fact that Judy is going to have a meaningful relationship with another man that isn't you, then I think your hostility will ease. She will probably get married and have children of her own one day and that's the way of life, but you need to believe that it doesn't mean you are going to lose your daughter forever. She will grow up and become fully independent but she will always need her father. I think discussing these feelings with Judy will help you both resolve any issues you have."

"Dr Cole, this is all what Alex has said to me."

"Bill, please."

"Bill..." It was the first time he'd said the name and it caused a lightning bolt to strike in his brain. "Bill Cole...Billy Cole." he whispered, the penny dropping from a twenty storey building straight through his skull.

"I never liked the name Billy. I thought Bill sounded more grown up and sophisticated."

"William, Bill, Billy...Billy Cole."

Dr Cole was concerned. He could see Charley was growing increasingly distressed.

"Are you alright Charley?"

He could feel himself beginning to hyperventilate.

This connection to his past had come crashing into his life at the worst possible time. This guy worked with his wife. He saw her every day, laughing and talking and eating lunch together, and his name was Billy Cole.

He was annoyed at himself for not realising his name from the start.

"I have to go." Charley pushed his chair back out of the way, knocking it backwards in the process so he could get past the coffee table.

"Our session isn't finished. We were making real progress."

"I'm sorry, I can't...you're just...you...it doesn't make sense."

Charley struggled with the door handle in his haste and ran out the door. It flew back and hit the wall with force, denting the plaster where the handle collided with it.

Dr Cole picked up his phone to call Alex, unsure what he had said or done to prompt such an abrupt reaction. He hoped Charley would head straight home and not end up in a ditch somewhere.

Charley burst into the house, scared and frustrated and furious.

Alex had been waiting by the front door praying he would come home safely.

"That's it, no more shrinks. I'm not going back." he blurted the second he saw Alex.

"Charley, what happened? Dr Cole rang and said you left suddenly, distressed."

"You didn't tell me your colleague's name was Billy Cole."

"It's not, it's William Cole. He goes by Bill but I don't refer to him as that in front of patients. What's that got to do with anything?"

"Billy Cole was the name of Jerry Dandridge's roommate. He terrorised me almost as much as Jerry did. Another convenient coincidence, don't you think?"

"Charley it's not uncommon to meet people who share the same name. There must be thousands of Billy Coles in the world."

"Of course there is, but why are they converging together to ruin my life? First Judy brings home a guy called Jerry, which isn't a very common name these days by the way, and looks remarkably like the vampire I once knew, and now someone you work with is called Billy Cole. All I need is someone called Evil Ed to walk into my life and I can officially have a nervous breakdown."

"You're creating a situation where there isn't one. Two people with names who sound like this vampire and his friend is no cause for alarm. They are just coincidences. The world is not conspiring against you."

"It certainly feels like it."

Charley drove into town to pick up his camera that was in the shop being repaired. He thought it would be something he could share with Jerry; the workings of his camera, artistic photos he had taken and photos of the family, especially embarrassing ones of Judy as a baby. As well as his digital camera Charley had a dark room in the cupboard of his study. As Jerry was studying science Charley thought he might appreciate the science behind photography and might find it interesting to process some pictures himself.

Charley paid the cashier and placed his newly mended camera delicately in its carrying case. As he turned around he bumped into the person waiting in the queue behind him.

"Sorry." he apologised.

"Not a problem…Charley?"

Charley stopped thinking about his camera and looked past the end of his nose.

"Amy?"

He couldn't believe it. It was Amy Peterson. Seeing his old girlfriend again after over thirty years would've been enough to startle him, but after his latest nightmare his legs practically collapsed underneath him.

"What are you…How are you?"

"I can't believe it's you. Of all of the camera shops in all of the world I run into Charley Brewster."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm visiting family for a couple of weeks. You?"

"I live around here."

"That's great. It's a lovely area."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I'm just really surprised to see you."

"Me too, it's been so long I thought I'd never see you again."

They stared at each other perplexed, observing how each other had aged. Amy looked exactly the same as she did all those years ago. Her hair was still short but it was now grey and she had the faintest crow's feet around her eyes.

Amy filled the silence before it got awkward.

"My nephew broke the lens on my camera the moment I arrived so I brought it here to be repaired. Seems like you're doing the same."

"Yeah, just picking it up. I wanted it to spend the day with my daughter and her boyfriend."

"You have children?"

"Two girls and my little man Pete."

"After Peter Vincent?"

"Am I that predictable?"

"He was always your idol. How is he?"

"I'm afraid he passed, fourteen years ago now."

"I'm sorry."

"We remained close friends after, you know, that night. He was around long enough to see Pete born. He was sick for a long time after that before he finally left us."

"He was a good man. Look, we should catch up. Do you want to go for coffee?"

"I'm sure I'll have time to meet up with you whilst you're in town."

"I was thinking right now."

"Oh, um."

"Don't worry, you said you were busy. Another time. I can give you my number."

"You know what, I could spare some time." Charley suppressed his paranoia. It would be wonderful to see her again and find out how life had treated her. Last night's dream had no bearing on the events of today. It was just another coincidence that he had dreamt about her and seen her all in the same day. Wasn't it?

They spent over an hour talking and laughing in a quiet corner of the coffee shop like no time had passed between them at all. It was like they were back in the school cafeteria sharing jokes and advice and gossip.

"I remember how you and Ed would talk incessantly about Peter Vincent. You guys were obsessed." Amy giggled. "Who'd have thought you would become best friends with your idol."

"I know. He was pretty awesome and a great friend. I've been thinking about him lately."

"Oh, I know that look. Is there something you wish you could talk to him about?"

"Yeah." Charley was holding back tears. His body and mind were still exhausted from the lack of sleep, despite his rested night, and it was making him emotional. He missed his friend and he wished he could ask his advice about his vampire nightmares.

"Is it something you could talk to me about? It may have been over 30 years but we've been through a lot together. We've experienced a unique situation and that forms strong bonds between people. That's probably partly what made you and Peter so close."

"I wouldn't want to burden you with my problems. It wouldn't be fair. Besides, you'd probably think I was crazy."

"Nothing shocks me anymore. After you've defeated a _vampire_ ," Amy practically mimed the word, "and almost been turned into one, you have a more open view of the world. Is it trouble at home?"

"No, nothing like that. I wish it was just a normal problem and it should be but it's not. It's another vampire problem but not a real one, not like before, this one's in my head."

"Charley you're not making any sense."

"There's more to it than you know." he snapped. "You weren't there. Alex was, my wife, and she's been helping me through it. It's fine, we're fine." Charley took a breath and calmed down. "I'm sorry. I haven't been sleeping lately. I shouldn't have lost it."

"Why haven't you been sleeping?"

"Nightmares."

"About vampires." Amy realised.

Charley nodded.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

She took hold of his hands across the table. "I've had nightmares too. I suffered with night terrors for years after that night."

"Really?"

"I had therapy for a long time and they eventually got better but they've actually started to resurface again after all these years."

"I had therapy too, for three years. They actually convinced me that vampires didn't exist, that what we all experienced was group hypnosis and the trauma of Peter killing Ed took a toll on my mental state."

"Do you still believe that?"

"No, not after..." Charley fell silent.

"What else happened to you Charley? You've encountered more than just Jerry, haven't you?"

He nodded.

"Jerry's sister."

"You're kidding?"

Charley flinched.

"She tracked me down three years after we killed Jerry to get her revenge."

"She tried to kill you?"

"Worse. She tried to turn me into a vampire. She almost succeeded."

"No! She obviously didn't. How did you stop her? You must've had to kill her."

"Yeah, I pulled her into the sunlight. I became human again. Just like what happened to you."

"Wow. Two vampire experiences in such a short space of time. No wonder you're having nightmares."

"Thirty years after the incident! Why are they occurring now? Nothing I can think of has triggered it."

"It might not have been anything you would notice. Anything could have triggered your subconscious mind. I used to get flashbacks all the time from the slightest thing like a sound or a smell. And if you didn't fully process and deal with the trauma at the time then it could be your mind's way of coping with it now."

"You sound like Alex."

"Your wife?"

"Yeah, she's a psychologist. She's been trying her best to help me through it but I think it's difficult for her to treat a family member as a patient. Her feelings for me compromise her rational thinking. She tried to warn me but I insisted she at least try to help. I'd rather not see another shrink. I had a session with one of her colleagues this morning which she insisted upon, but it was a complete disaster. It was going alright. I didn't particularly enjoy the situation but we were talking well enough, then it suddenly hit me who I was speaking with. The doctor's name was Billy Cole."

"No way!"

"Uh huh. I totally freaked out and ran out of there. Of course, Alex just said I was being silly and it was just a coincidence. She doesn't get it."

"Well, why don't you talk to me? I know what you're going through because I've been there myself and there's been so much distance between us I think I can control my feelings for you from getting in the way."

"Your feelings for me?"

"It may have been thirty years but you were my first love Charley. You never forget a feeling like that."

She squeezed his hand.

He smiled at her empathetically. Seeing Amy again had reminded him of that same feeling; the purity and passion of first love.

"You don't want to waste your time on my problems. You're here to spend time with your family."

"I'm here for two weeks and I've only just arrived. They've still got work and school commitments during the day so I'm sure I can spare a few hours for an old friend."

"Only if you're sure."

"Of course. I wouldn't have offered otherwise."

"I can meet you tomorrow. My daughter will have gone back to college and Alex will be at work."

"You make it sound like we're sneaking around." she said suggestively but insincerely.

"No, I'm just saying tomorrow is convenient for me."

"Don't you need to work?"

"I tend to work from home these days. Shall I meet you here for lunch?"

"Sure. It's a date." Amy winked.

Charley smirked at her playfulness.

Charley finally returned home after two hours with his newly fixed camera and a bag of popcorn and snacks.

"Dad, where have you been?"

"Sorry, I bumped into an old friend and we got chatting. I lost track of time."

"Well I hope he was better company than Jerry. You were supposed to be spending the afternoon with him."

"There's still time honey. I thought I'd show him my camera and we can all watch a movie together later. I bought popcorn." he sang.

"Fine, just be nice, and don't bore him to death with too much techno babble about your camera. Don't make me regret telling him how cool and interesting you are."

"You said I'm cool?"

"Yes, so don't make me out to be a liar."

Charley kissed Judy on the forehead and squeezed her shoulder.

There were still moments of awkward silences between Charley and Jerry but they seemed to be getting along. Charley had shown off his collection of vintage cameras and even let Jerry take a couple of pictures with one that they could develop together in his dark room. Jerry had captured a moment from the study window of Judy sat in the garden looking thoughtful, a trail of daisies on the grass behind her and a bunch of sunflowers in the distance.

In the compact dark room Charley and Jerry stood shoulder to shoulder developing the pictures in silver nitrate solution, the faint red glow of a single bulb straining their eyes. There were several other photos pinned up above their heads that Charley had taken earlier that year. Since his recent problems sleeping he had forgotten about them and abandoned them in the darkness.

Jerry admired the hanging pictures whilst they waited for the chemical reaction to take effect.

"I love this photo of the beach Mr Brewster. The way you've captured the crashing wave is amazing."

"Thank you Jeremy." He avoided calling him Jerry at all costs.

"Please Mr Brewster, call me Jerry."

"I prefer Jeremy. That was sheer patience and a little bit of luck. I was pleasantly surprised when that one came out as good as it did."

"I can't wait to see this picture of Judy. She looked so beautiful and serene. I hope I captured it right."

"I'm sure you did. It won't be dry enough for you to take it with you tomorrow but I can mail it to you when it's ready."

"Thanks Mr Brewster." said Jerry with sincere gratitude.

Charley's misjudgement of Jerry had all been in his head. He was a very pleasant young man and seemed innocently smitten with Judy.

"Oh look, the picture is forming."

As the image got darker they could see the finer details. Judy's pensive expression was subtle and brought out the best in her features. The colours from the flowers and foliage around her really popped although there was one colour that didn't seem right. It was Judy's eyes. Something about them made them look like they weren't hers. Charley dismissed it as an illusion from the dim light. As the image grew darker still, the whites of her eyes turned a disturbing shade of black. Charley tried to blink away the false image but he could still see the demonic black holes of her eyes.

Jerry was in awe.

"It's perfect. Judy's going to love it." exclaimed Jerry.

"Don't you think her eyes are a little off?"

"No, they're perfect, just like her. I can't wait for her to see it."

It was his eyes, Charley decided, seeing things that aren't there again. It had been a long day and even though he had managed to sleep last night it couldn't instantly fix weeks of unrest.

"You'd better go and see if dinner is ready. I'll hang these up to dry." said Charley dismissively.

"Sure thing Mr Brewster."

Jerry opened the door carefully so as not to let too much light in and went downstairs.

Alone in his dark room, Charley pondered over the photo. Judy's eyes were still black and soulless. It disturbed him to see such an image of his daughter, and then something else caught his eye. There was a reflection on the lens just behind Judy's head that looked like the ghostly floating image of Regine. Her intense stare burned through the picture. She was now all Charley could lock his eyes onto. She was beautiful and sultry and her sudden unexpected appearance in the photo shocked Charley to the point he couldn't look away.

He pulled down some of the other photos to see if she had infiltrated them too. Her faint, ghostlike image haunted every single one. The last time he looked at these photos he could swear she hadn't been there. It was all just in his head, it had to be. Jerry hadn't seen her and he hadn't noticed Judy's eyes either, unless he was lying to make Charley doubt his sanity again. No, he couldn't listen to the paranoid ramblings in his head. He was just hallucinating. It wasn't real.

There came a gentle knock at the door; a slow, sinister tapping.

"Who is it?" cried Charley.

Nobody answered.

It knocked again.

Charley motioned to turn the handle when the door flew open with a force that blew the remaining photos off their pegs. Jerry was stood there menacingly. His eyes were completely black and his expression was brooding and sinister. He tilted his head in contemplation.

"You see her, don't you? The real her in the photos."

"Regine? Yes I see her. Why do I see her?"

"Not Regine. Judy."

"Judy?"

"The image has captured her soul, her true essence. It reflects her true nature and what she will become."

"Her eyes."

"Yes, black as a vampire's withered heart. As black as her own heart."

"No, Judy is kind and innocent. Her heart and soul is good."

"From the moment she was born she has never been truly innocent. She carries a darkness with her that has grown as she has grown; a darkness passed on from you."

"What darkness?"

"The darkness that became a part of you when you became a vampire."

"I was never a true vampire. I became human again."

"The transformation may have been reversed before it became permanent but the transformation still occurred. Not all of you returned to your human self again. It left a scar in you that you still carry to this day and that you passed on to your first born."

"No, that's not true. You're just in my head." Charley shook his head, holding his fists to his temples.

"Judy has an essence of vampire within her, an essence that is awoken every time she kills an insect or has the desire to cheat on a test or we have sex. Every impure thought and action only serves to feed her vampiric nature and one day it will consume her."

"No! I don't believe it!"

"She's one of us Mr. Brewster and we will claim her."

"You will leave my daughter alone!"

"It's not your choice, it's hers, and I'm pretty sure I can convince her. After all, we are sleeping together and she has proven to be rather submissive in the throes of passion. She will do anything for my love and she will join us."

Charley clenched his fingers around his ears.

"You're not a vampire! You're not really here! Get out of my head!"

"She will succumb. She will submit. She will become a vampire."

Charley fell to his knees, whimpering, his hands still clutching his ears, almost ripping them from his head.

Alex had heard him screaming and ran upstairs.

She found him cowering in the corner of his dark room, his breathing pattern was erratic. She did her best to calm him but his incessant mumbling about how someone 'couldn't be a vampire' and that 'it wasn't true' only made the task more difficult. Eventually his breathing slowed and Charley fell silent. He slumped into Alex's arms whilst she rocked him comfortingly.

Judy, Jerry, Pete and Chloe had settled on the sofa in front of the television waiting for their parents to join them for movie night.

Charley was pacing the hallway upstairs anxious about facing Jerry.

"I want him out of my house. And Judy is not going back to college with him."

"Calm down. They'll hear you."

"I don't care. I don't trust him and I don't want him here."

"Why? What has he done to offend you?"

"He basically threatened Judy right to my face."

"He did what!? What did he say? Is she alright?"

"He said he was going to take her away."

"That's not much of a threat."

"He said some other things too."

"Like what?"

"Like…well…he said…he said she has a darkness in her…and he was going to draw it out of her."

"There's no darkness in Judy."

"He said he was going to make her one of them."

"One of who?"

"A vampire!" he exclaimed, as if it was blatantly obvious what he was talking about. "He said that it's inside her, that I passed it on to her. My soul was tainted when I became a vampire and it was passed on to Judy. I've tainted our beautiful girl and now the vampires want to claim her for their own."

"Charley, please calm down, you're getting hysterical. None of this is real."

"What if that's the point? What if they're trying to make me think that I'm insane? Make me vulnerable. Make sure that nobody believes me and then they can take her."

"Charley, listen to yourself. Your theory _is_ insane. When did Jerry say these things?"

"What?"

"When exactly did Jerry say these threatening things to you?"

"Right after I told him to check on dinner. He left the study and then came back."

"So, this was just before I heard you shouting."

"Yes."

"Jerry was downstairs with me." reassured Alex. "He asked me about dinner, just as you said, and then we heard you shouting at someone. Whatever you think you saw and heard was not Jerry."

"But…he was standing right in front of me."

"No, he wasn't. I'm sorry Charley but it must have been a hallucination."

"It was Jerry. It had to be. I saw him."

Alex shook her head in disagreement.

"It…it seemed so real." admitted Charley, defeated.

"I understand."

"I tried to tell myself that it wasn't real but he wouldn't go away. He kept taunting me."

"Come downstairs for movie night. It will do you good to relax and surround yourself with family."

"No, not with him. I can't face him after what I've seen, even if it wasn't real."

"You'll only worry them if you don't show them that everything's ok."

"It's not ok. I'm losing my mind here and I feel like there's nothing I can do to stop it. I felt great this morning and now I feel like I've taken ten steps backwards."

"Please, can you just try and hold it together for the kids' sake? Jerry will be gone in the morning and you can forget about him."

"How can I forget when he's dating our daughter? She's going to be spending all of her time with him at college and I won't be there to protect her."

"Protect her from what? Jerry is harmless and from I've seen he's a gentleman. Everything dangerous about him is all in your head."

"I know, I know, but I can't shake the anxiety that she's in trouble."

"I'll help you with that, ok? We're going to fix this together." Alex took Charley's hand, entwining her fingers in his. "Come on, it's just a movie. You won't even have to talk to him."

She led him downstairs where their children were waiting.

"Are you ok, Dad?" asked Judy.

"Couldn't be better." he said in an overly chipper way to mask his despair. "Who's got the popcorn?"

The bowl rested on Jerry's lap who passed it to Charley. He took it reluctantly and offered him a half smile as gratitude.

Judy could sense the tension between Charley and Jerry and turned away from her father in a huff, folding her arms and cuddling into the crook of Jerry's arm.

Chloe pushed play on the remote from the chair nearest the TV, her legs dangling over the edge of the arm rest and her back leaning against the other.

The lights were dimmed and everyone settled in front of the box.

Charley couldn't relax no matter how hard he tried. He kept finding himself looking over at Jerry, making sure he kept his hands and his teeth to himself.

"Why were you out for so long this afternoon? I was starting to worry." whispered Alex, during a louder part of the film.

"Sorry, I ran into an old friend."

"Who?"

"Just someone from high school. No-one you'd know. We hadn't seen each other in over 30 years so we found ourselves catching up."

"That was nice. It would have been good for you to get out and about again. You've been wallowing in your study and this house for too long."

"I know. I thought we might meet up again this week."

"That's a great idea. It'll be good for you to get some normality back in your life. That might help with your sleeping."

"Let's hope so."

"Shhh. Something's about to happen." whispered Chloe, her eyes transfixed on the screen.

Why did he hold back? Why didn't he tell Alex the truth about who he met today? It was a purely innocent encounter. Amy may be an old girlfriend but after all this time she was hardly going to be a threat to Alex. Their relationship was stable and they'd built a life together. One chance meeting with Amy Peterson was not going to jeopardise that, was it?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The next morning was frantic in the Brewster household. Judy and Jerry had to get up early to leave for Spring Break amongst the usual battle for the bathroom between Pete and Chloe whilst Alex usually ended up playing referee.

Charley was swaddled under the duvet with his pillow wrapped around his ears. Even the muffled voices were too loud for his ears. He hadn't been able to sleep that night for images of Judy's ashen corpse cradled in Jerry's arms flashing behind his eyelids, like the flickering image of a silent movie projector. He tried to meditate in the peace and quiet of the night with little success. He felt somewhat rested but his eyes were dry and his ears had become so accustomed to the silence that the sudden raucous of the morning ritual was too much for him to bear.

Judy shouted "Bye Dad" up the stairs to Charley. He looked at the door, willing himself to get up and bid his daughter farewell, but it was followed by "Goodbye Mr Brewster" from Jerry and he slouched back into a foetal ball.

The front door slammed and Charley tore his head off the pillow. He never wanted to part with any of his children with a cloud looming over them like this, but Judy was gone. Charley's paranoid mind wondered if he would ever see his daughter again to apologise. Alex probably wouldn't be best pleased with him either for having upset Judy. He ran to the window but their car had already reached the end of the road. He returned to the warm comfort of his bed.

Pete and Chloe had caught the bus to school and Charley could hear the rattle of Alex's car keys by the front door. Her footsteps tip-tapped up the stairs and her head peered around their bedroom door.

"I hope you realise how upset Judy was when she left just now." Alex scolded.

"I have an idea." Charley sat up in bed with his legs over the side.

"Well, if you do nothing else today you had better think of a way to make it up to her. I will not allow this phase you are going through to jeopardise your relationship with her, and the rest of this family for that matter. I'm really starting to feel the strain and I don't think any of us can go on like this for much longer."

" _You're_ feeling the strain? You're not the one losing their mind."

Alex held back her tears.

"I've tried but I don't know how to help you anymore. I feel like I'm losing you and I don't know what to do to get you back." She sniffed, choking down her emotions. "I'm going to be late for my first patient." She closed the door behind her and left the house hastily. Charley knew she would be crying all the way to work.

He didn't know how to help himself but maybe discussing his problems with someone like Amy would be the answer.

Amy waited for Charley in the same café at the very same corner table.

He soon walked through the door, the delicate twinkling of the bell ringing like the arrival of a fairy.

"You came." Amy said with a smile and kissed him on the cheek. Charley gave her a nervous smile back.

"Of course. We're not doing anything wrong. It's only coffee."

They took a seat at opposite ends of the table.

"Did you tell your wife?"

"I told her I was meeting up with an old friend."

"But does she know that friend is me?"

"Um, no, I wasn't specific."

"You said we're not doing anything wrong."

"I know. I don't know why I didn't tell her."

"If this is going to make you feel uncomfortable then I can leave. I'm not just anyone, I'm your ex. I know it was a long time ago but I don't want to upset your wife."

"No, this is just an innocent catch up between two long lost friends."

"And a sort of therapy session if you're still up for discussing your problems. I'd really like to try and help you in any way I can if you think it will make a difference."

"It wouldn't hurt. I'll try anything. I'm at the end of my tether. Alex said only this morning she doesn't know how to help me and if I'm honest, I don't know what anyone can do to fix this."

"Then start at the beginning. Tell me everything." she urged. "I'll just listen for now and when you're ready we'll discuss it." he appreciated her directness in controlling the moment.

Charley took a deep breath and took Amy back thirty years when he, Alex and Peter crossed paths with Regine. He told her about his recurring nightmare depicting the altered events of his night as a vampire, and he described all of the visions and nightmares he had been having that had kept him awake at night.

Saying it out loud he realised how much had happened to him in the past couple of weeks and was amazed he still had his sanity.

"Wow. I didn't realise you'd seen so much."

"Neither did I until now. How did you get over the experience of almost being turned?"

"Therapy to begin with but I found that only helped me through part of the way. They can't fully understand the problem because they can't empathise with what you're feeling. There aren't exactly case studies on vampires."

"My shrink just ended up convincing me that vampires didn't exist, and then I met Regine which screwed me up even more."

Charley made sure to monitor his volume so the other customers didn't overhear them talking about vampires and death.

"Did you ever deal with the aftermath of Regine's revenge attack on you?" asked Amy.

"No, I guess not. It brought Alex and me closer at that point and our lives just took over. We graduated, got engaged, married, had our first child. There just didn't seem to be time to process what happened."

"I think that's your main problem. You never dealt with the emotional and psychological effect it had on you."

"But why is it happening now? It was so long ago."

"Perhaps you've reached a point in your life where your subconscious is in a state to process these emotions."

"All it's doing is driving me insane. Most of the time I can still feel her presence, like she's haunting me. How did you cope when therapy stopped working?"

"Honestly? I drank for a while, perhaps for longer than was healthy. I knew it wasn't a permanent solution but it dulled the nightmares for a while. Eventually I sobered up and faced my demons head on."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there. I could've helped you through it. I should've been there for you."

"My problems weren't your responsibility."

"No but I was the one who dragged you into it. I should've accepted Jerry's offer when he first approached me and just forgot about what I saw and kept my mouth shut."

"And then Jerry might still be out there and God knows how many more people would be dead right now. You saved the lives of all of his future victims."

"I guess when you put it like that, the hell we went through seems almost worth it."

"Of course it was. Part of my healing process was accepting what had happened and moving on. There was no use dwelling over the past. We survived that night. You, Alex and Peter survived Regine and in doing so you've brought three new lives into the world. That sounds like a pretty good outcome to me."

"Ed didn't survive. Neither did Richie."

"You can't focus on the negatives. Some died along the way and we've mourned them, that's all we can do, but if we let the tragedy dictate our lives then the vampires have won. You living your life the way you have, building a home and a family with Alex, that's victory."

Her words struck a chord with him. No one had explained things the way she just did. He felt better about everything although he didn't know how long it would last.

"You said yesterday your nightmares had come back recently. What have you dreamt about?" asked Charley.

"Just the usual ones replaying that night over and over. I can go for months, sometimes years without them, but the smallest thing can remind me. It can be a name or a smell or a sound. Most of the time I don't think about it and get on with my life but there are times when your subconscious just won't let it rest." Amy took a sip of her coffee and continued. "I probably shouldn't admit this but my dream changed a little the other night."

Charley looked at her intrigued.

"It was mostly about you. I could sense Jerry was close but I never saw him. All I saw was you. I saw you in a glowing light, my saviour coming to rescue me, but then I confronted you as the vampire I had become and something was different that hadn't happened in reality."

"What?" Charley was on the edge of his seat.

"I called to you and you came to me like you were in a trance and I bit you. I drained you until you lay dead at my feet. I managed to turn you and we attacked Peter Vincent together leaving him to rot in the cellar. Then we killed Jerry and walked off into the night in each other's arms."

"That certainly is different to what I remember."

"The strangest part is, I had that dream the night before I bumped into you."

Charley was reminded of his dream that very same night.

"You'll never believe me but I had a dream about _you_ that night too. I think that's what freaked me out more when I saw you in the camera shop. I'd never dreamt about you in the thirty years since I saw you last but suddenly there you were and I run into you the next day."

"That's certainly unusual. Do you think that the fact we were almost turned by related vampires created some sort of connection between us and now I've arrived in your home town we're in close enough proximity for that bond to connect us psychically?"

"That's the sort of theory I would expect Evil to come up with, not rational Amy Peterson."

"But it makes sense, doesn't it?"

"If I'm honest, it does."

"I read every available piece of vampire lore I could get my hands on after that night. I know my shit. Comparing that to what we've seen, you pick up a sense of what's true and what's not."

"Have you met a vampire since?"

"No but I've had my suspicions and stayed clear. I chased down a couple of suspects in my phase of paranoia but it turned out to just be in my head. I've picked up on certain things since then but I haven't explored them. It was a better use of my time to move on with my life rather than allow the obsession to consume me."

"That's what's been happening to me. I think I see signs of vampires but when I try to prove it I come up empty. I think I've really fucked it up with my daughter Judy. I've accused her new boyfriend on several occasions of being a vampire and now she's mad at me. It was all just in my head."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, although I can't shake this nagging doubt that there's some connection between him and Jerry."

"What if your suspicions are warranted?"

"I think I need to move on and forget about it. Everything he did or said that made me hate him was all a hallucination. The rest of the time he was very gentlemanly."

The waitress stopped by their table to refill their cups then moved on to the next customer.

"What was _your_ dream about?" asked Amy. Charley went shy and rigid.

"What?" he replied, denying all knowledge.

"Don't hold out on me. You said you had a dream too."

"It's silly, you don't want to hear about it."

"Yes I do. I told you mine even though it was embarrassing."

Charley rubbed his thighs nervously.

"Talking about it may help you get over it. Holding in your feelings and allowing them to fester isn't healthy." encouraged Amy.

Charley sighed. She wasn't going to let this go.

"Alright, fine. In my dream, I'm a vampire. Regine succeeded in turning me and now she's been torturing me. My face is all beat up and I'm tied to a cross that's burning into my back. You find me having been captured by Regine as part of her torture against me. You free me from my chains and we share...a moment. It turns out that Regine has turned _you_ as well and you're there to mess with my head. You expose your fangs and bite me and then I wake up."

"Wow. That's messed up."

"Tell me about it."

"A lot of your dreams are about Regine and her vendetta towards you, aren't they? Even the visions you have of Jerry stem from a fear that one of his family, like Regine, is going to find you. You need to confront her. Somehow in your dreams you need to confront her and tell her you're not afraid and to leave you alone."

"How am I supposed to do that? I feel so powerless in my dreams. She has all the control."

"You have to believe it in yourself. You need to take control of your life and tell yourself you're not going to be afraid anymore. Don't be afraid of going to sleep. Just sleep and face what happens head on. At the moment, I think your greatest fear is of what could happen but you need to let the visions come to you and deal with them as they appear. It'll be easier said than done but try and take control of the situation. Be the dominant one in your dream and just...well...tell Regine to fuck off."

"You know, that's kind of what that Dr Cole told me to do but I didn't take him seriously. Imagine a different outcome to my dreams before I go to sleep and it should help to ease them. I think I could do that. It's worth a try."

"Try it tonight. Go to bed as you would any normal night. Try not to imagine the dreams you might have and just let yourself drift off. If you see Regine take control and..."

"Tell her to fuck off."

"Exactly. Maybe you could put it a little more eloquently." she chuckled.

"She wouldn't respond to eloquence. I need to be brutal. Like you say, take control and don't let her have the upper hand. Thank you Amy. Everything feels so much clearer after talking with you." He squeezed her hand across the table.

"Glad I could help." she blushed.

"You've more than helped. I feel like everything's going to turn out better after tonight."

"Don't speak too soon. You may be cursing me by the morning."

"For the first time in weeks I'm actually looking forward to sleeping."

Charley grabbed his jacket and stood up to leave.

"Thank you once again. Just talking to someone who truly understands has really eased my mind."

Amy stood and hugged him. They embraced for a few seconds longer than was customary. As they parted their eyes locked on to one another's. Amy kissed him on the cheek and stared longingly into his eyes.

Charley cleared his throat and fiddled with his pockets.

"I'd better be getting home. It was lovely to see you, again."

"Call me if you need to talk about anything." offered Amy.

"Sure, thanks. See you soon." Charley shook her hand nervously and left.

The door slammed and the bell jingled behind him. He leant his back on the door in despair.

Why did he shake her hand?

He hadn't just finished a business meeting. This was Amy. That kiss made him feel so clumsy like he didn't know how to act around her. But it was only a peck on the cheek. What was there to be nervous about? It was completely innocent. Except for that look in her eyes. But he had done nothing wrong, he told himself. He removed himself from the situation before anything happened. There was nothing to feel guilty about.

But this was Amy.

It was getting late and Charley was sat in his study in his pyjamas and nightgown.

Alex had barely said two words to him when she got home. She was clearly still upset at the way he had left things with Judy and Jerry. He would make it up to them but he had to sort his head out first.

He entered the bedroom and Alex was already in bed, sat up reading a book. Her eyes darted over to him above the rim of her glasses then immediately returned to the book.

Charley climbed under the covers and kissed Alex on the cheek. She didn't flinch.

"Good night."

Alex remained silent.

He hated it when his wife did this. He tried to ignore the tension in the room and took a few deep breaths to calm his mind. If he could sleep through the night and take control of his nightmares he believed he could leave Regine behind him and work on restoring his family. But he had to think about himself for now and hope to be forgiven for his behaviour later. He needed to repair his sanity or there wouldn't be any relationships to save.

As much as he tried to find a 'happy place' his thoughts kept returning to the hideous visions of blood and death. He was desperate to control his fear but he couldn't shake the terror of what he might witness.

He cleared his mind and focussed on happier times with Alex. He soon found himself slipping into a deep slumber.

The next time Charley opened his eyes he was in a dark room that smelled of blood, stagnant dust and mould. His dreams had taken him back to his prison on the cross, the wooden structure burning into his back and the rusty metal chains cutting into his wrists.

He could sense he wasn't alone but the room appeared empty. The door had been left open so he could see the rotting corpses of Alex and Peter across the corridor. He closed his eyes firm to expunge the sight of his dead friends, releasing a tear which trickled down his nose. Then he saw them, the eyes that had been watching him; red glowing eyes hidden in the shadow of the corner of the room. Regine stepped into the candlelight, her movements sleek and predatory. Her lips parted seductively exposing her dangerous fangs. Charley was mesmerised by desire but also petrified with fear.

A voice sounded in his head, a memory.

"Take control...don't be afraid...tell her to fuck off."

Amy's words echoed in his ears.

This was a dream. He had to take control of the situation. Regine couldn't win this battle. He had to make her back down.

"How are you enjoying your life with me so far Charley? Is it everything you dreamed it would be?"

"So much more. You're more of a twisted psycho bitch than I ever thought possible."

"Oh Charley, you know just the right words to say to a girl. I'm blushing."

Charley rested his head against the wooden beam but the smell of burning hair jolted his neck forward.

He had to take control.

"I'm not afraid of you." he declared, hoping to convince himself more than Regine.

"I know. That's because you love me."

"No I don't, I'm just not afraid of you anymore."

"I don't need you to be afraid. I just need you to suffer."

She wasn't taking his words seriously. He needed to try something else.

"You won't be able to keep me trapped forever. I'll escape and when I do I'm going to rip your throat out!" he barked.

"It's nice to see you still have some fire in your belly. Torture is more effective when you have fighting spirit."

"Don't think my threat doesn't have merit. I will kill you one day and one day soon."

"I know you believe that and it's adorable."

"What's adorable about punching the heart out of your chest and ripping your spinal cord out from the neck down? I'll do it. Don't think I won't hesitate."

She sauntered up to him and placed her knee between his legs.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me. Say some more." she whispered into his ear, her lips gently brushing his ear lobe.

He swallowed hard trying to ignore the intimate position of her legs and refocus his mind.

He turned away from her only for his eyes to be met by the disturbing vision of his friends' mangled bodies once again.

His nostrils flared holding back his grief and anger.

Regine followed his eye line.

"Admiring your handy work?" she asked.

"There's nothing to admire."

"I think there is. At the risk of giving you a compliment I was rather impressed. Your first two kills as a vampire were ruthless and animalistic. I felt a flutter of pride at the sight of you tearing through their jugulars. You have to admit you feel some of that pride in yourself."

"I don't have to admit anything."

"That's not a denial. Tell me what you feel when you look upon their bodies."

"Grief, guilt, anger at myself and at you."

"I can't be held responsible for your actions. You brought this upon yourself. If you had just left my brother alone all of your friends would still be alive. Ed, Richie, Peter, Alex." Charley's undead heart skipped a beat at the mention of every name. He knew she was right. If he hadn't interfered they would all still be alive.

"Forget about your old human feelings. Look upon them as a vampire and then tell me what you feel."

He had been unable to look away but now at Regine's instruction he viewed them with new eyes.

"Hunger, thirst, a desire for more blood, regret that I drained them so quickly and didn't savour the taste." He shook his head in an attempt to dislodge the impure thoughts from his mind.

"That's more like it. You're an animal Charley, a brutal predator. I see it in you. You could be the most psychotic and blood-thirsty of them all but you refuse to give into the bloodlust. If I could teach you to embrace it you may become useful to me, then I may consider releasing you, but not before I've finished having my fun."

Amy's words returned to Charley's thoughts. He was allowing her to take control. He needed to turn the situation around.

"I will never give in because that's not who I am. The only person I'll consider killing is you."

She dismissed his threat, waving her hand and tutting, turning her back on him.

"You may be right that my friends would still be alive if I'd kept quiet but I wouldn't have been able to live with myself knowing that there was a murderer out there killing innocent people that I could stop. I may have suffered because of my actions and lost some friends along the way but that's a much better outcome than the thousands more people that Jerry would have killed over the years if I had let him live."

His words made Regine hiss with fury.

"You seem to know so much about me but do you know what actually happened to your brother that night? He screamed in the end. He screamed like a weak little pussy as he burned in the sunlight."

He was taunting her and she was lapping it up.

"For a thousand year old vampire he was surprisingly easy to kill. He cowered at the little crosses. You should have seen his pathetic face when the clocks chimed signalling dawn. He was so afraid of the sunlight it was almost laughable. When I look back on it now there was nothing remotely terrifying about Jerry Dandridge. He was a sorry excuse for a vampire and for a man."

Regine bared her fangs and grabbed Charley by the neck, squeezing slowly.

"You dare to mock my brother in front of me! I'll kill you!"

"Then you will have set me free. No more eternity of torture for Charley Brewster."

"No but you would spend an eternity in Hell."

"Hell would be like Heaven compared to spending another moment with you."

She loosened her grip and lessened her snarl.

"You do not wish to be near me?" she pouted. "Do I offend you so much you do not wish to look upon me?"

Charley wasn't going to be fooled by her sheepish looks but her eyes were so sad he couldn't help but empathise.

"Everything I've done Charley was for you. I just wanted you to notice me."

"I do notice you."

"There were times when I took pleasure in seducing you. You made me feel a desire unlike anyone else." Her face inched closer to Charley's until their noses touched and her lips were delicately brushing his as she spoke. Her voice was soft and breathy. "I know you must hate me and you have every right to. If you hate me so much then you'll have no desire to kiss me right now, will you? Prove it to me. Look into my eyes and tell me you hate me."

Her lips were tantalisingly close, he couldn't help himself. He kissed her passionately and she reciprocated, feeding his desire. The cuts on his lip pained him but he didn't care as his swollen tongue was massaged to the point of ecstasy.

Regine broke the kiss. Her fragile innocence melted away. She smiled at him smugly knowing he couldn't resist her.

Once he realised what he had done he spat at her, ashamed for falling for her allure once again.

"I own you! Despite everything I've done, you will still do anything to please me. It's quite pathetic really."

Charley grunted with frustration, rattling his chains in a futile attempt to free his hands so he could snap her slender neck.

Regine took two wooden stakes from her tray of weapons of torture, one in each hand.

"You will never escape me. You will always know pain and suffering. This is my vow to you."

She thrust the stakes into his shoulder blades with such force they almost pierced the skin on the other side.

His own blood-curdled screams rang in his ears.

Alex stirred from her sleep feeling vibrations through the springs of the mattress. She turned around to face Charley who was twitching in his sleep and breathing heavily through his nose. His eyes were clenched shut furrowing his brow. He looked distressed.

She tapped him on the shoulder to wake him but his body continued to convulse. She shook him, and then again more vigorously. Still he remained locked in his nightmare.

Alex began to panic. Charley had never been this difficult to wake before. She called his name and shook his shoulders and even slapped his face but he wouldn't be roused. He appeared to be growing more and more upset when suddenly he screamed. His body went rigid. His fists clenched by his sides. His pained screams sent a shiver down Alex's spine. Her panic escalated and she practically mounted him trying to shake him awake.

His pain was mirrored in his dream as the wounds in his shoulders gushed with blood. The splintered wood was like hot needles in his skin burning through every nerve. Regine twisted the stakes in his shoulders. His screams grew louder with an undertone of whimpering. He just wanted the pain to end; for it all to end. If he were to die now he would welcomingly take Death's hand, but this was to be his eternal punishment; to long for death or an end to the suffering but to be always left wanting.

Pete and Chloe rushed into the bedroom after hearing their father scream. Alex shooed them away telling them to go back to bed. Their worried faces made Alex want to cry. They left the room reluctantly but lingered in the hallway so they could overhear.

Alex changed tact. She had to calm herself down before she could calm Charley down. She stroked his arms gently, and softly spoke his name lyrically.

She whispered in his ear "Wake up Charley. Come back to me. Wake up."

Charley had stopped screaming but he was still asleep and looked horrifically distressed.

Alex continued the gentle approach, saying his name, squeezing his arms, brushing his face. She hoped that these calming movements would soothe his tortured mind.

Amid the burning pain and the screams and Regine's maniacal laughter, Charley could hear someone whispering his name. He tried to drown out the other sounds and focus on it.

"Charley...Charley."

It was Alex.

He remembered.

This was a dream.

This was _his_ dream. He could control the outcome. He could wake up.

"Wake up. Please wake up."

There was her voice again, beautiful but scared and desperate.

He could feel pressure on his arm that wasn't radiating from his wounds, and a softness on his face like someone was brushing the hair out of his eyes.

Alex.

She was there in the real world trying to comfort him and pleading with him to wake up.

Charley drowned out everything and tried to focus on Alex. Charley closed his eyes and drew in a few calming breaths.

"What are you doing?" asked Regine.

Charley heard her but didn't answer. She wasn't real.

"You can't ignore me or try to ease your pain through meditation. My will is the only will and you are to suffer at my hand."

But Charley did ignore her and she didn't like it.

"Charley! Listen to me. Your pain is excruciating. Scream for me. Scream damn you!"

When he didn't respond she stuck her thumb in one of his open wounds and tore the flesh open another couple of inches.

His face winced but he remained in his meditative state.

She screamed with frustration and slapped him around the face, scratching his cheek with her talons.

"Look at me Charley! Listen to me. You cannot escape me."

Her rants became more frantic but her volume quietened.

He could hear Alex a lot clearer now and felt himself floating towards her voice.

Regine and his prison faded into darkness and a warm glow appeared, like the morning sun penetrating through your eyelids before you wake. Charley finally opened his eyes and was relieved to see Alex's worried face staring down at him.

"Oh, Charley." said Alex, relieved. They embraced each other. "I couldn't wake you. I was so scared." she wept.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I'd better tell Pete and Chloe you're alright."

Alone, underneath the sweaty bed sheets, Charley contemplated what he had just seen. It had affected him greater than his previous dreams. The sights and smells and emotions burned intensely in his memory like he had experienced it for real.

His defeatist feelings of suicide and euthanasia had remained with him in his waking state. He couldn't tell Alex he was having thoughts of ending it all. That would upset her to the point of no return.

Alex returned to the bedroom having settled Pete and Chloe in their beds and laid her head on Charley's chest. They didn't need to say anything, they just comforted each other.

Alex soon fell asleep and Charley slid out of bed carefully so not to disturb her. It was five in the morning but the first thing he wanted to do was call Amy. Her brilliant idea unfortunately hadn't worked but he needed to discuss it with her and ask her advice. Her words would bring comfort to him more than Alex's ever could and she would have a better understanding of his trauma. He felt guilty for wanting to turn to another woman who wasn't his wife. It wasn't right that his first thoughts after waking from his nightmare were of Amy. He collapsed into his chair in his study and stared blankly towards the floor for a long time, trapped in the vortex of his swirling thoughts. He soon looked up at the phone in his hand. It was still early but he had to talk to Amy.

The phone barely rang twice when she answered.

"Charley? What's wrong?" she asked, panicked. He wouldn't have called this early if there wasn't a problem.

Charley could barely find the words. "It didn't work." he managed, the memory of the pain making the words catch in his throat.

"You had another nightmare?"

Charley nodded but then realised Amy couldn't see that over the phone.

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No. I'll meet you."

"Come over to mine, whenever you're ready, I'll be waiting."

Charley hung up. He couldn't even muster an 'ok.'

There were so many confusing and terrifying thoughts and emotions flying around his head he couldn't focus on just one thing and it was threatening to overwhelm him.

He sat in the corner of the bathtub, hugging his knees tight to his chest and letting the cool water from the shower wash over him. He turned the temperature down as low as it would go. He needed to be cleansed or purged or something, anything to purify his soul. He thought that if he suffered it may bring him closer to redemption.

Alex found him staring at the mirror, wrapped in a towel, shivering.

She tapped him on the arm, jolting him from his thoughts.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine." he lied, smiling falsely but convincingly.

"I've never seen you like that before. You scared me."

"I'm sorry. I must've been in a really deep sleep."

"What were you dreaming about? It must've been terrifying."

"I don't remember." lied Charley.

"You always remember your nightmares."

"This one was different. The moment I woke up it was gone."

"I'm just glad you're ok now." she hugged Charley tightly. He buried his chin into her shoulder.

"I have to be at work in half an hour. Will you be alright on your own? Do you want me to reschedule my appointments?"

"No, don't disrupt your day because of me. I've got plenty to keep me busy. I've got emails to send and phone calls to make. I'll be fine." he offered another fake smile. He kissed Alex on the cheek and left her alone in the bathroom.

Charley took out his phone to send Amy a text.

 _Meet you at the café in half an hour. C x_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The second that Alex's car was out of view Charley jumped into his car and drove to town.

His heart had stopped racing from the night before but he still felt anxious. His latest nightmare had really shaken him and he was desperate to get those feelings off his chest. He felt guilty that he couldn't talk to Alex about it but she would only worry even more if she knew that the severity of his nightmares had escalated. She had seen first-hand the effect it had on him but he was confident he could convince her that there was nothing to be concerned about.

Amy was already waiting for Charley outside the café, pacing up and down nervously.

She threw her arms around him when she saw him.

"Are you ok?"

Charley shook his head.

"I'm so sorry. This was all my fault. And here I thought I was helping."

"You have helped. It wasn't your fault."

"Come on. You have to tell me everything."

She led him into the café and was shocked at how busy it was. She noticed Charley looked uncomfortably at the crowd of customers.

"Someone's at our table." said Amy, disappointed.

"There are other tables."

"I know, but it's really loud. I won't be able to hear myself think. Why don't you come back to mine? I've got the house to myself for the next few hours. We can talk completely openly without being overheard."

"Are you sure? There's another café around the corner."

"It'll be fine. My family won't mind. They won't even notice you've been there."

They both knew he would feel more comfortable in seclusion.

Before he could protest she took his hand and led the way back to the parking lot.

Charley sunk into the black leather couch and Amy handed him a steaming cup of coffee.

"Not exactly the French roast they serve in town but I made it Irish. It looks like you need it."

He breathed in the aroma, the steam clearing his sinuses.

Just the feeling of being in a cosy and serene environment put him at ease. He could no longer feel his heart through his chest.

"Tell me everything." prompted Amy.

"I don't want to think about the details, I can't face it, but the nightmare was worse. I did what you said, I was calm, I took control of the situation, it felt different to all the other times, but then it started to unravel. It was like my awareness made me hypersensitive and made everything seem so real. She stabbed me in the shoulders and the pain," he paused, composing himself, "the pain was a hundred times worse than anything I've felt before. I never usually feel any pain because that's the point where I wake up but I couldn't wake up. I felt trapped."

"How did you wake yourself?"

"It was Alex. She talked to me and touched my arms and shook me. I could sense she was there from inside the dream and I guess I just followed her voice."

Amy sat there in stunned silence for a while. Charley was still reeling from the nightmare and the horror showed on his face.

"I wanted to die." he finally said, faintly. He stared into nothing as if he were letting the words flow freely as they needed to without any control over them. "I just wanted the pain to end. I still feel that way; that death might be the only release from this torment."

Amy gasped.

"I'm so sorry Charley. I should never have given you that stupid advice. I shouldn't have tried to help. I've only made things worse." Amy felt like weeping knowing her friend was now having thoughts of suicide.

Charley stroked Amy's hand with his thumb.

" _I'm_ sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned thoughts of death. That wasn't fair on you. I don't actually want to die. It's just the aftermath of what I felt in the dream. Everything I felt has remained with me. I can't seem to shake it but I'm sure it'll pass."

He took a sip of his coffee, the heat from the whiskey warming his dry throat.

"Your advice wasn't stupid." he continued. "You've made me feel more at peace in my own mind than I have in weeks. I don't know what happened last night but I won't be trying it again."

"So, you don't want to stop talking to me after leading you astray?" she asked, disappointed in herself for causing her friend pain. She wiped a single tear from the corner of her eye.

"Of course not. I've enjoyed spending time with you again. It's like we've never been apart."

"I know. It's crazy, right? All these years of absence forgotten now that we've found each other again."

They exchanged smiles.

Charley's fingers were still resting on hers. He removed his hand when he noticed and wrapped it around his cup.

They smiled again, awkwardly.

"Is there any way I can make it up to you for putting you through last night?"

"I honestly don't blame you for what happened. My sick and twisted mind did all the work. After everything I've been seeing, my dreams were probably escalating towards that anyway."

"I don't know what else to suggest. I'm afraid to."

"Just talking with you is help enough. I can tell you everything because I don't feel like I'm being diagnosed as crazy."

"I'm more than happy to listen to your rantings if it'll help you expel all of those negative emotions. You need to after all the shit you've been going through."

"Thank you. I think that's all I really need right now."

They sat in silence for a while finishing their drinks.

"Another?" asked Amy.

"Please, but perhaps leave out the coffee this time."

"Just the scotch, got it."

She returned with two large glasses.

"It may only be 9am but it's happy hour somewhere in the world." she exclaimed.

"Cheers."

They sat for hours talking about anything and everything. They shared their sorrows and their worries and laughed until they nearly fell about the floor.

Their enjoyment was interrupted by Charley's phone. The time flashed up as 13:35. He'd been there over four hours.

"It's Alex. Sorry. _Hello?"_

 _"Charley, where are you? I came home for lunch and you weren't there. I was worried."_

 _"I just stepped out to clear my head. I didn't know you'd be home so soon."_

 _"I thought it would break up the day. I need to be back in an hour to see my last few patients. Will you be long? I was hoping we could have lunch together."_

 _"No, I'll be home in five minutes."_

 _"See you soon. Love you."_

 _"Love you too. Bye._ Sorry, Alex is home. I should really be getting back." he got up to leave, putting on his jacket.

"Of course."

"Thank you for this morning. I've had a really good time. I haven't laughed that much in ages." he said, still chuckling.

"Any time. I've loved spending time with you Charley. I hope we can do it again whilst I'm still in town, under better circumstances." she said, walking him to the door.

"Yeah, of course."

Amy kissed him on the cheek, goodbye.

They stared at each other for a moment.

Charley returned the kiss, his lips enveloping hers. She gently touched his face then placed her hands on his shoulders. They were swept away in the moment until a wave brought them crashing back to dry land.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." said Charley.

"It's ok."

"It's not ok. I'm married. I just spoke to my wife not two minutes ago and now I'm kissing another woman."

"I won't tell if you don't. We just got caught up in the moment. It doesn't mean you love Alex any less. This doesn't have to happen again."

"It can't."

"Would you like it to?" mumbled Amy.

"What?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean that. Forget I said anything."

"Whether I want to kiss you again or not is beside the point. It can never happen. I have to leave. I'm sorry. Bye."

He fumbled for the door handle awkwardly and left, leaving Amy alone and confused.

They were both left confused about their feelings and if that kiss really meant something. It certainly felt like something.

As Charley returned home he could feel his heart pounding in his throat again. He felt so guilty about kissing Amy but he felt more guilty about how much he enjoyed it. He had been answering her question over and over again in his head in the car. He _did_ want to kiss her again but he knew he couldn't betray Alex any more than he already had.

He hoped she wouldn't sense his guilt when he walked through the door.

"You're home." exclaimed Alex, flinging her arms around Charley's neck. "You had me worried for a while there."

"Sorry, I didn't think anyone would miss me. I just needed a walk."

"I've prepared us lunch." She took his hand and led him into the kitchen.

There was an array of meat and cheese and bread and salad on the table.

"This looks amazing. Thank you. I don't deserve you." he felt like confessing but he knew it would only ruin everything.

"I thought this would give us a chance to talk as well."

"What about?" he asked, taking a seat.

"About last night...and about how you left things with Judy."

"I told you, I can't remember what happened last night, only what you told me."

"It really frightened me to see you so distressed and being so powerless to help you. Are you sure you don't remember anything?"

"My mind must've blanked it out." he said dismissively.

"Ok, how are you going to fix things with Judy?"

"I'll call her and apologise." he said through a mouthful of ham.

"Is that all?"

"What else do you want me to do?" he snapped.

"I don't know. Something meaningful. You really upset her over the way you treated Jerry and she's worried about your health, we all are."

"So am I, and I'm worried it's going to pull my family apart but I don't know how to fix my brain. Shrinks don't seem to help and if I go see a doctor they'll just lock me in a padded room."

"Maybe that's the only thing that'll help you."

"What!? You honestly think I should be committed? You want to see me locked up with a bunch of other crazies being force fed pills every few hours slowly losing my awareness?"

"Of course not, but you're not well. It may help you get over this. Just for a few months."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this. I thought you were on my side."

"I am and believe me this is hard for me to admit but I think you would benefit."

"You're not going to do anything are you?" exclaimed Charley defensively.

"I'm seriously thinking about it." confessed Alex.

"Alex please, give me a chance to figure this out on my own."

"But you said so yourself, you're out of options."

"I've got some ideas. I just need time to work things out."

Alex sat quietly thinking for too long.

"Are you really not going to give me another chance?" asked Charley concerned.

"I feel like I've given you loads of chances and you're only getting worse. I'm scared for you Charley and for your safety."

"I'm not a danger to myself or anyone else."

"Tell that to Jerry when you almost stabbed him with a stake at the library."

"That was...I...I've learned from that...it's not going to happen again."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Will you just trust me, please! As your husband have a little faith in me."

"I do but…"

"But nothing!" Charley slammed his fist on the table. "I can't believe we're still talking about this!"

"Please Charley, calm down. You're scaring me."

"There is nothing calm about this situation! My own loving wife wants to send me away to the nut house! And nothing I say is convincing you!"

"I'm just discussing our options. Nothing has to happen right away."

"It's not going to happen ever! If I come home to men in white coats waiting for me then they won't be able to take me without a fight!" Charley grabbed his keys and stormed out of the house.

"Where are you going?" asked Alex, panicked.

"Out!"

"Charley please don't drive away. Charley!"

He sped down the street before any more could be said. He didn't like to abandon Alex in the middle of an argument but he was so furious he couldn't think straight. He drove straight to the place that offered him any comfort.

Charley knocked on Amy's door. The moment she opened it he pushed his way through, embraced her face with his hands and kissed her passionately. She was taken aback but allowed Charley to dominate her. He kicked the door shut and led her to the couch, all the while not breaking the kiss. They fell into the soft cushions, fondling each other's bodies and wrestling one another's tongues. Charley caressed Amy's breast and ruffled her hair. His anger and passion had become one force that was pushing down on Amy hard. She broke the kiss long enough to ask him why he was doing this.

"I'm sorry...I'm using you...I need to vent...I need a release." he said between kisses.

Amy pushed him away.

"What about Alex?"

"She doesn't matter. This is what you want isn't it?" he tried to kiss her again.

"She mattered half an hour ago."

Charley stopped groping and sat back.

"She did, but after what she said...I'm so angry."

"Anger is not a good enough excuse for adulterous sex, no matter how much we might enjoy it. You'll regret it the second it's over, trust me."

"Why can't she listen and explain things to me the way you do?"

"What did she say at lunch?"

"She wants to call the men in white coats and have me committed."

"What? She can't do that!"

"That's what I said, but she seemed convinced that it might help me. I begged for another chance but she thinks I've had plenty of chances. I just saw red and I had to leave."

"You probably did the right thing. You don't want to say or do something you'll regret, although we came pretty close just now."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I was flattered that you came to me but these aren't the right circumstances in which to do this."

"I know, I was just so angry I wasn't thinking."

"Have you calmed down now?" she asked.

"I think so."

His groin didn't appear to concur.

Amy took a cushion and covered his lap with it. They both chuckled.

"What's wrong with me? One minute I'm the loyal husband and the next I'm ripping your clothes off."

"You're human. You had every right to be upset with Alex. It's not your fault you're a weak man who only thinks with his penis. Most men are."

"Hey!" he giggled, smacking her on the arm playfully.

"In all seriousness, she could've discussed the idea with you more delicately. I don't agree that it's the solution but she could've handled it better."

Charley rested his head on the back of the couch and stared at Amy.

"Thank you for being there for me, and for being my conscience. You're right, I would've regretted sleeping with you...not because it's you...you'd have been great in bed...but it would've been wrong...that came out wrong."

"I know what you mean." she smiled, saving himself from digging a deeper hole than he already had.

"What I mean is, you're great and I'm so grateful that you're here." they smiled at each other, offering one another a mutual respect.

Charley could feel the urge to kiss her returning.

"I'd better go." he said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I've taken advantage of your hospitality enough for one day."

"You know where I am if you ever need to talk."

"Thank you, again." he went to hug her goodbye but then decided against it. Amy closed the gap, not noticing his awkward hesitation. They embraced then Charley closed the door behind him.

Amy was left alone for the second time that day. Their encounter had sparked her feelings for Charley. After today she had been forever changed and there was no way she was going back.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Charley was sat outside on the lounger with a glass of bourbon in his hand when Alex returned home from work. Pete and Chloe had been up in their rooms since they got home doing their homework, or at least Charley could only assume. Alex saw him through the patio door and quietly opened it. He turned his head slightly to confirm his suspicions that it was Alex.

"Did you come home alone? Where are your colleagues?" he asked bitterly, sipping on his bourbon angrily through his teeth.

"Yes. I didn't call anyone. I wouldn't do that behind your back without your consent."

"Good."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"I think we both said enough this afternoon."

"I know you're upset and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"You shouldn't have thought it in the first place. It shouldn't even be an option." he said, standing up to face her.

"I know but I couldn't think of any other options. It was a last resort."

"Are we really at that stage where I'm beyond hope?"

"I hope not. I love you Charley and I just want to help you get better."

"Then help me by being there for me and not abandon me in some mental hospital. Just listen to me and try to keep me rational. Trust that I can get myself through this. That's all I ask."

"Ok." she choked on the word, holding back her tears.

"Come here." he embraced his wife as her head sunk into his chest. He kissed her head and stroked her hair.

"Things are going to get better. You'll see."

Charley spent the next few mornings visiting Amy at her family's home for coffee. They never ran out of things to talk about but the subject always seemed to circle back round to vampires. Amy was able to make light of it and turned a traumatic experience into something they could laugh about and did at great length. He felt happier than he had in weeks and he'd been managing to get more sleep at night. He still had nightmares but they had scaled down considerably since that night he couldn't wake from his dream.

"Do you realise I haven't had any daydreams since I started meeting up with you? The last one was of my daughter's boyfriend the afternoon after we bumped into each other. But since I've started talking with you about all of my nightmares, my waking dreams have stopped."

"That's great. What does Alex think about that? She must agree that's an improvement."

"I haven't said anything to her actually. I only realised it this morning. I guess I should tell her tonight. It might make her feel like I'm on the road to recovery."

"I think you are. She'll be relieved."

"That might mean I'd have to tell her about you. She'll wonder who I've been meeting up with."

"You can say it's just an old school friend. It wouldn't be a lie." Amy suggested.

"I guess, but she'll probably want to know your name and what you're like and maybe even invite you round to dinner."

"Just be vague if you're not happy telling her who I am. But you haven't been unfaithful you know?"

"We came close a couple of times. I have kissed you and that's still a betrayal."

"Only a little one. You've been here every day all week and we haven't acted on our feelings, have we?"

"Our feelings?"

"Come on Charley, of course there are feelings between us otherwise you wouldn't have kissed me, but we're mature enough not to let them ruin our friendship."

"Anyway, I feel like my sanity is returning with those daydreams gone. I think they were worse than the nightmares and the lack of sleep. They made me doubt what was real."

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Amy was a little hurt at the way Charley brushed off discussing their feelings. It was like he was in denial but she knew how he truly felt deep down. She just needed him to admit it to himself.

Charley's home life had become a lot happier and content. With the daydreams gone and managing to sleep better at night despite the nightmares, he was beginning to feel like himself again and his relationships with his family blossomed because of it. Alex was less stressed and the tension in their relationship dissipated. He was making more time for his children, playing video games with Pete and helping him with his homework, and even Chloe asked him about his day and made him a cup of coffee when they sat down to watch TV together.

It was the morning of Pete's fifteenth birthday and he was begrudgingly getting ready for school.

"Happy birthday buddy!" exclaimed Charley, ruffling Pete's recently quaffed hair. "Are you excited about going bowling this evening?" Pete brushed his fingers through his hair to straighten out the mess.

"Totally stoked. I can't wait. I'm gonna whip you." he replied.

"You can try but you will never defeat the master."

They pretended to karate chop each other.

"Calm down you two." warned Alex. "Pete, is your bag ready for school?"

"Yeees." he droned.

"The bus will be here in five minutes. You'd better get going."

"Ok, bye, love you." he kissed his Mom on the cheek and punched his Dad in the arm. "Tonight." he said, pointing at Charley and walking backwards out the door.

"Tonight."

"I have to get going too." said Alex. "Now, don't forget to pick up the balloons and the cake and drop them off at the bowling alley so they can decorate for tonight. Oh, and check how many alleys they've reserved. There should be at least five so everyone has room to play."

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be perfect for tonight. I've got it under control."

She kissed Charley goodbye and left for work.

It took Charley all morning to complete his errands driving all over town to pick up everything for the party and take it to the bowling complex. He text Amy when he realised it was taking him longer than he'd planned. He was meeting up with her again but he was now running really late.

When he arrived at the house he was exhausted.

"Sorry I'm late. I've had to drive to one end of town to pick up balloons and then the other to pick up Pete's birthday cake and then stop off at the bowling alley."

"Of course, it's Pete's birthday. You didn't need to rush. We could've rescheduled for another day."

"I wanted to come."

Amy couldn't help but smile. She was flattered that he went out of his way to spend time with her.

He hung up his jacket by the door.

"Now, you sit down." ordered Charley. "I'm going to make _you_ a drink and I'm thinking of changing it up a bit. I might make tea. Huh, scandal."

Amy giggled at his foolishness and did as she was told.

He came back with their teas placing them on the coffee table along with his phone that he'd removed from his back pocket.

"Ma'am."

"You're an idiot." she chuckled.

"But you wouldn't have me any other way."

"No, I wouldn't. You're perfect."

Charley shifted nervously in his seat.

"I'm sorry if a compliment like that makes you uncomfortable but I have to be honest. You're wonderful Charley Brewster. I've loved this past week with you. I love you."

"Amy…"

"I know what you're going to say," she interrupted, "but I had to tell you. I owe it to myself to be honest with you."

"Amy...I can't."

"I know and I hate myself for feeling this way but I love you Charley."

He didn't know what to say. Amy was beautiful and funny and charming but their relationship couldn't advance any further than friends.

"Just answer me this," Her demeanour changed. Her eyes narrowed in a sultry way and her fingers fiddled playfully with her skirt. "Forget about Alex. Ignore your conscience for a moment. What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

She slid closer to him on the couch. He didn't back away.

"I'd probably kiss you back." he admitted.

She inched closer again.

"And what if we started enjoying ourselves? What if we wanted more?"

Amy slid her hand up his thigh towards his crotch.

"We can't do this. I'm married."

She massaged his groin area tenderly. He tried to resist her advances but he sunk into the chair closing his eyes. He suppressed a satisfied groan.

"We have something greater. We're each other's first loves and we have a connection unlike anything we have with anyone else. We've survived a unique experience and that bonds us."

"I have that bond with Alex. I survived a vampire attack with her too."

"But we've both been turned. Have you brought Alex back from the brink of an immortal existence?"

The image of Alex's death from his dream flashed in his mind, jolting him from his aroused stupor.

"No." he replied, shifting away from Amy.

"Exactly. We have that in common. I understand precisely what you're going through and after all these years, seeing you again, I can't help but be reminded of how I felt when I was with you. I've never felt like that with anyone since. Why do you think I never got married? No one has been able to live up to you Charley. I love you and I realise now that I always have. It never went away and it's stopped me from committing to relationships. You're the only one Charley, my only love."

Charley fell silent, flattered but confused.

Amy was still very attractive and to some extent he still loved her too, but he couldn't ignore all the years he'd been with Alex and the moments they'd shared. To give into Amy's advances now would destroy everything they'd built their lives up to be.

She leaned in and kissed him slowly and sensually. He kissed her back as he knew he would. She swung her leg around and straddled him, kissing him harder. She rotated her hips to excite his groin. She felt the firm protrusion through his jeans she had been hoping for. She smiled to herself and slid her tongue into his mouth like a sly snake.

"No." protested Charley insincerely, not making much of an effort to resist.

She slid her hand down the back of his pants.

"No!" he said more firmly. He stood up forcing her off his lap.

"I hear these words coming from your mouth but I don't believe them. Your body tells me a different story." she stood up and approached him like a prowling tiger.

Charley's back was pinned to the wall.

Amy stared at him longingly.

She kissed him firmly and passionately.

Her lips were warm and sweet. He didn't reciprocate at first but he soon found himself mirroring the rhythmic movements of her lips. She was inviting and seductive. He lost himself in the moment.

They lost all sense of time. Their moment of passion seemed to stretch infinitely.

Charley finally took a breath and realised what he was doing.

He pushed Amy away.

"We can't do this." he exclaimed.

"You keep saying that and we still are."

"But we can't do it again."

"You _want_ to do it again."

"That doesn't mean we should."

"So, you admit it."

He kept her at arm's length.

"I can't deny that I still find you very attractive and old feelings for you are resurfacing but that doesn't mean we should act upon them. You have nothing to lose but I could lose my entire family. I love you Amy but this can't go any further."

He reached for his jacket off the coat hook and opened the front door. Amy stood back, admitting defeat.

"I'm sorry Amy."

He left swiftly before he let things go any further. He didn't trust himself around Amy at the moment. He felt weak around her but he had to think of his family.

Charley spent the rest of the day thinking about Amy. She had always been a special person to him and seeing her again reminded him of just how special she was. If his family's happiness wasn't at stake or Alex wasn't in the picture then he wouldn't hesitate to be with Amy, but he had to think about others instead of his own desires. But why did he desire Amy so much? It's not like his relationship with Alex was unromantic. She satisfied him in every way. He loved her with all his heart but when he was with Amy it was like she was the only one in the world that mattered. She made him forget and he could only think about her.

When Pete arrived home he was bouncing around with excitement like he had trampolines in his shoes. Chloe rolled her eyes and tutted, retiring to the solitude of her bedroom.

"It's my birthday! It's my birthday! When does my party start?"

"Calm down. Not for a couple of hours yet. Go get changed out of your school uniform. Do you want something to eat?"

"We're having pizza aren't we?"

"Not till later. I can get you a snack."

"I'll just have an apple. Jerry got me into them." Pete ran upstairs.

Charley shuddered. He wished he hadn't asked.

Pete and Charley were clock watching anxiously as it approached 6pm. Alex was late home and Pete was worried he was going to be late for his party. Chloe nonchalantly filed her nails on the sofa, not panicked in the slightest. Then they heard the key in the door.

"Where have you been? I was starting to panic." said Charley, before she had both feet on the welcome mat.

"I know I'm late but we've got plenty of time." said Alex as she ran in the door, throwing her keys on the dresser. "I'm going upstairs to get ready right now. Charley, you're not dressed."

"This shirt's ok, isn't it?"

Alex shook her head.

"Fine, I'll change it."

"I did text you to tell you I was running late and to get the kids ready. Didn't you get my message?"

"No. Shit!" he covered his mouth with his hand realising the kids were in the room. "I left my phone round...my friend's."

"Is this that friend you bumped into in town?"

"Yeah, we've met up a few times."

"That's great. Perhaps we should invite him over for dinner."

"Alex, we don't need a play date. I'd better go get it back."

"Can't we pick it up on the way to the bowling alley?"

"No!" he exclaimed, quickly regaining his composure. "It'll be fine. I'll get it now."

"Dad, we'll be late."

"I'll be back in time, I promise."

Charley grabbed his keys and sped out the door.

"Don't be long..." yelled Alex as the front door slammed "...we need to leave soon."

Charley knocked on the door anxiously waiting for Amy to answer. He felt nervous. He didn't know what might happen. He couldn't trust himself around Amy anymore. Just one look and he might succumb. It was evening so the house should be full of people. He would be safe; just collect his phone and go.

"I left my phone here." he blurted, keeping straight to the point.

"I know." Amy stood blocking the door. She hadn't invited him in or gave any indication she was going to retrieve the phone.

"Can I have it back, please?"

"I suppose so." she stood aside to let him in. He entered cautiously.

He spotted his phone on the coffee table where he'd left it and then realised how unusually quiet the house was.

"Where are your family? Shouldn't they be home by now?"

"It's Friday night, they all went out for a meal together."

"Why aren't you with them?"

"I told them I had a headache."

"Do you?"

"No, but I knew you'd be back, if not for me then for your phone."

Amy took a few steps towards him, pressing her chest up against his.

"So, is this all you want?" she asked, waving the phone in her hand.

"There's no-one else here?" he asked.

"We're all alone." she whispered in his face, their noses practically touching.

An urge swept over him that he couldn't control. It was like she cast a spell over him. He was just a passenger in his body enjoying the sensual ride. He took her in his arms and kissed her. The need had been there from the moment he'd met Amy but it had escalated to the point where he had to have her, right now.

She led him to the bedroom and they sat on the edge of bed removing each other's clothes. They fell into the soft bed sheets and entwined themselves into one naked being. They writhed and moaned uncontrollably. They were so desperate to be intimate they had lost all sense of reason. Charley thrust inside of Amy repeatedly and she threw her head back, overcome with a pleasure she hadn't experienced since their first time. She could feel herself coming close to orgasm and her sounds of ecstasy only served to fuel Charley's desire. He mounted her, pinning her arms to the bed and nibbling on her ear. Her body went rigid and she let out a scream as she climaxed. He pulled out of her and they led flat on the bed, out of breath, wallowing in the endorphins that were coursing through their bodies. They rested in each other's arms for a long time, silent and satisfied.

Charley waited for the guilt to hit him but it didn't come.

He surveyed the room looking at all of the knick-knacks on the shelves and the scatter cushions that had bounced off the bed from their eager movements. His eyes fell upon a poster of The Big Lebowski.

"Shit!" exclaimed Charley, jumping off the bed and wrestling his pants on. "I'm late for Pete's party." He looked at his watch and almost choked on the air. "How long were we in bed? It'll be all over. I'm going to miss it."

"If it's already too late then what's the rush?" asked Amy, lying seductively on the bed, stroking her fingers up and down her naked body.

He dropped his shoes and crawled on the bed as if entranced by her. He kissed Amy between her breasts, working his way up to her lips. Even when he tried to walk away he couldn't resist her. He imagined Pete's disappointed face but the image of Amy kept swatting it away. They kissed, locked in their embrace for what seemed like eternity.

Charley eventually pulled away.

"I have to go. Pete's going to hate me."

He ran out of the house before he could be distracted anymore.

Charley raced down the road at speed. He ran a stop sign and a red light in his desperation. Cars were flashing their lights and honking their horns at him but he ignored them.

Suddenly a grey and white cat ran into the road in front of him. He swerved into an empty junction to miss the cat. His brakes screeched to a halt and he sat there in his stationary car in the middle of the side road. He took in a few deep breathes to calm his fluttering heart. It all came crashing in on him at once; his brush with death at the hands of a cat, the guilt of sleeping with Amy, and betraying his family, and missing Pete's birthday party in order to have sex with another woman. He kept his breaths steady and controlled but he felt like he couldn't breathe. The weight of his conscience was pressing down on his lungs.

Charley was blinded by a set of oncoming headlights and the car honked its horn for him to get out of the way. He switched on the ignition and sped away.

When he arrived at the bowling complex he was disappointed to find he didn't recognise any of the cars in the parking lot except for Alex's. Pete's friends had all gone. He was too late. He hurriedly parked at an angle across two spaces and ran inside. Alex, Pete and Chloe were packing up to leave.

"Pete, buddy, I'm so sorry."

Pete stomped past him to wait by the car. Chloe followed her brother, looking Charley up and down like he was the scum of the earth. Alex's face didn't fare much better.

"Where the hell were you?" she asked, furious. "You should've been five minutes picking up your phone but you were two hours. What could've been more important than Pete's birthday party?"

"Nothing."

"Then why weren't you here?"

"I have no excuse. I'm sorry."

"That's not good enough. Pete couldn't enjoy the time with his friends because he was worried about you, and he so wanted to play a game against you. We all started thinking that something terrible had happened."

"It didn't. I'm fine."

"I can see that. I almost wish you were lying in a hospital somewhere because at least you would have a decent excuse for not being there for our son."

She adjusted the handbag strap on her shoulder and pushed past Charley.

"You had better have a long, hard think about what you're going to say to Pete when you get home. But I don't think anything you have to say will cheer him up tonight." she warned.

She walked out the door and drove her children home.

Charley collapsed in a nearby chair. He hated himself. He had been trying so hard not to upset his family, most of all Pete, and he was the one person he'd hurt the most, so far. Now more than ever they couldn't find out about Amy. It would destroy them.

Charley eventually slumped home with his tail between his legs.

Pete had gone to bed crying and Chloe was sat up with Alex watching TV.

"I'd leave Pete alone tonight if I were you." said Alex before Charley could utter a word. "He stormed into his room the second we got home. He won't even talk to me. You'd better let him cool off until the morning."

Charley sat down on the single chair in the living room.

"I don't think we want you here right now." said Alex. "And I think you'd better sleep in the spare bedroom tonight."

Those were the last words she said to him that night.

"Goodnight then." said Charley to no response.

His life appeared to be on the up earlier that week but one wrong move and now everything had turned to shit.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Charley roamed around the house in the middle of the night. He couldn't sleep after he'd disappointed Pete. He couldn't get the look on his face out of his mind. If he did manage to close his eyes, then it was Pete who haunted his thoughts, not vampires. Drink didn't help. The solitude of his study didn't help. Being alone meant there was nothing to distract him from his guilt. He was restless.

As he entered the kitchen he saw Alex stood in the corner by the sink, her back towards him. He had only just looked in on her asleep. How could she be here?

He tapped her on the shoulder but when she turned around the look in her eyes almost knocked him off his feet. They were cold and lifeless. Her skin was grey and pale and her lips were dry. Even her nightgown matched her complexion. The only colour on her body were two red puncture marks in her neck. She didn't say anything or move. She just stood there, her dead eyes looking through him.

Charley backed out of the room keeping his eyes on Alex to see if she followed him. She didn't even blink.

He headed upstairs to see if Alex was still in their bed but something else caught his eye in the living room. The fire was roaring and Chloe was stood staring at it. It hadn't been lit earlier and the room had been empty. He approached her and saw the flames reflect in her glassy eyes. She looked pale and lifeless too and she also had two teeth marks in her neck.

Charley swerved around the sofa and ran upstairs. He flung open the bedroom door but Alex was gone. The bed was empty aside from the bed sheets were now covered in blood. He checked the other bedrooms but they were all empty. He headed back to the stairs but Pete was stood in the hallway almost blocking his path. The same ghostly complexion adorned his skin and sure enough there was a bite on his neck.

Charley crept past Pete cautiously, putting his foot on the top step.

Pete turned his head and stared at his father. His cloudy eyes looked straight at him. Charley nearly lost his footing. Then Pete's body turned. Charley got halfway down the stairs and Pete started to follow him. Charley jumped the last three steps and headed for the front door. It was locked and Pete had reached the ground floor.

Alex came out of the kitchen and Chloe entered the foyer from the living room. They walked towards Charley slowly and intently, caging him in. He had nowhere to go. He was trapped.

When they were only a few inches away they stopped. They were like statues just staring. Their eyes bore into his.

He held his breath anticipating what might happen next.

Their eyes blinked.

Their mouths twitched.

Their throats hissed like snakes.

Just as Charley's heart was about to explode in his chest, they opened their mouths wide exposing their vampire fangs.

Charley screamed as they leapt on him and pierced his skin with their fangs. Three bites at one time. The rate of three vampires draining him of blood. Not only vampires but his family. The pain was excruciating.

Saturday morning finally came to relieve him of this new nightmare but the house was unnervingly quiet. Alex and Chloe were awake but they barely acknowledged he was alive when he entered the kitchen to make breakfast.

He announced "Good morning," but he was greeted with silence.

Pete didn't leave his room all morning. Charley couldn't take the anticipation any longer. He would have to confront him and apologise, but what would he say? He missed the party because he was fucking Amy Peterson. He couldn't be forgiven for that. He shouldn't be forgiven. He acted despicably and there was no excuse for it. The heartache he felt for upsetting Pete had washed away any feelings he might have had for Amy. No one person was worth breaking his son's heart over. If they ever managed to get past this then his family would come first and Amy Peterson would never have a place in his life.

Charley knocked on Pete's door and predictably received no reply. He opened the door regardless. Pete was led on his bed playing a game on his phone.

"Hey Pete."

Pete rolled over facing away from Charley.

"Won't you even let me apologise?"

"Your words don't mean anything."

"Of course they do."

"You broke your promise. You said you'd be there last night and you weren't. Where were you?"

He couldn't tell him the truth.

"I don't know what to say to you buddy."

"Then neither do I." he got up and left the room, pushing past Charley.

"Come on Pete, I've never let you down before. Can't you give me this one chance?"

Pete said nothing and slammed the bathroom door behind him.

"I'm sorry." Charley said softly.

Alex was staring up at him from the base of the stairs, her arms folded and pouting. She had no words for him either.

"What can I do to fix this?" he asked her.

"You haven't explained where you were last night. How can you expect Pete to understand when you have no excuse for missing his party? We'd all like to know what kept you."

Charley wanted to explain but he couldn't speak.

Alex walked off in a huff at his silence.

He felt like bashing his head against the wall. If he told them the truth they would hate him but keeping quiet proved to have the same outcome. He didn't know how to put things right.

From the window in the kitchen Charley stared out at the garden. This was often his thinking place when he had a lot on his mind but it wasn't offering him any solutions today. The luscious green leaves on the trees appeared dark in colour and the flowers had lost their vibrancy, like a dark cloud on a stormy day was covering them blocking out the sun. The more he tried to focus the duller the scene became. At one point he questioned whether his eyes were the problem. He rubbed them and returned to the living room. The kitchen window went black.

Alex held her phone shakily in her hands, on the verge of crushing it. Rivers of tears flowed down her cheeks smudging her makeup.

She pressed play on a recording so they could hear it again.

 _"I can't deny that I still find you very attractive and old feelings for you are resurfacing. I love you Amy."_

Alex played it again, and again.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It was on an email I just received...from an Amy Peterson. Who the fuck is Amy and why do you love her?"

"That's not what happened. I never said that."

"It's your voice isn't it!?"

"Yes, but I said more than those words. I told her nothing could happen between us."

"Who is she? Is she the one you've been meeting up with lately?"

Charley nodded.

"She's my old girlfriend from high school."

"She's _that_ Amy?" Alex interrupted. "So, what, you thought you'd pick up from where you left off?"

"It's not like that. We just talked at first. She was helping me with my nightmares. She was almost turned just like I was so she knew how I felt. After a while she started coming on to me but I rejected her."

"How am I supposed to believe you when I've heard this confession of love with my own ears?"

"Because I'm your husband and Amy is nothing but a stranger to you. She's clearly trying to get between us."

"Well, she's succeeding."

"Please, just let me tell you everything."

Alex's phoned pinged signalling receipt of another email.

"Amy again." she said. "What little gem has she got for me now?"

"Don't open that."

It was too late. Alex had opened the attachment. This time it was a video. She stared at it horrified. Her worst fears were being played out in front of her. All Charley heard were the groans and heavy breathing and knew instantly what it was. He clamped his eyes shut knowing there was no going back.

"Is that your precious Amy?"

"Yes."

"So, you rejected her did you? Was that after you fucked her!? Bastard!"

Chloe and Pete came down the stairs to see what the commotion was about.

As hurt as Alex was she couldn't look away. She noted the time stamp on the video. She gasped.

"This is why you weren't there last night. You missed Pete's party because you were fucking this Amy!"

Charley had no words. He felt ashamed.

"Dad, is that true?" asked Pete, clinging onto the bannister.

He could hear the moaning sounds still coming out of Alex's phone. Chloe screwed her face up in disgust.

"Pete, I can't...I don't know what happened...I shouldn't have...I'm sorry."

He expected an ouburst from his children but they didn't react in the way he'd imagined. In fact, they barely reacted at all. They were stoic faced and turned in unison to walk up the stairs. He ran after them but as they reached the top of the stairs they faded away like mist in the air. He thought he had imagined it but then Judy appeared, standing where Pete and Chloe had disappeared, staring at him.

"Judy! How did you...?"

"How could you?" she said and then she too began to fade away into thin air.

"Wait!" he yelled, reaching his arm out towards her. It wasn't enough. She was gone.

She'd looked like a ghost. What if she was dead? His thoughts returned to Jerry and his paranoid visions of him hurting Judy.

His imagination was flooded with scenes of Jerry killing Judy; stabbing her, poisoning her, strangling her.

A shadow enveloped the upstairs landing like the lights had gone out in the middle of the night.

Charley was scared. He didn't understand.

He looked back at Alex and her body was becoming transparent also.

"Alex, what's happening?"

"You bastard! You betrayed us all." her voice was hollow and faint like she was speaking through a partition.

Charley tried to grab her to pull her back to reality but all he caught was air. Her heartbroken eyes were the last thing he saw before she vanished completely.

"Alex! Don't leave me!" he cried.

He was now alone.

The house was empty and deathly quiet.

The light began to fade in the living room as it had in the rest of the house.

Looking outside he couldn't see the garden, only darkness.

He couldn't see or feel the sofa which should've been in front of him. The stairs were hidden in shadow. The entire house was encapsulated in darkness apart from a single beam of light that shone on Charley and highlighted the front door. He ran for it hoping to find a way out of this nightmare.

He thought he might wake up in his bed but he found himself on the porch in his front yard. As strange as all of this was, it didn't feel like a dream. Most dreams don't at the time but this felt different. He really thought he was awake which scared him.

He jumped in his car and drove away hoping to escape the encroaching darkness but as he looked in the rear view mirror it was following him. The street he had lived on for twenty years was being consumed by the dark like a black hole. He drove to the only place where he might get some answers. Amy Peterson's.

He knocked so hard on the door it sounded like he might punch through it.

He had put some distance between him and the shadow that was stalking him but he feared it wouldn't take long for it to catch up.

Charley forced his way into the house the moment the handle turned.

Amy was unsurprised to see him.

"What the fuck did you do?" he demanded.

"I assume you're talking about the emails I sent to your wife." she said with a satisfied smirk.

"You recorded our conversations? You filmed us having sex?"

"I had to do something. You were never going to leave your wife otherwise."

"How did you even get her email?"

"From your phone."

Of course. Wasted question. Wasted time.

"Have you seen what's happening out there?" asked Charley, panicked.

Amy looked at him dumbfounded.

"Everything's going black. My family disappeared before my eyes and now everything around me is falling into darkness. What's happening? Is this another dream?"

"This has always been the dream."

"What?"

Her eyes shifted like she knew what he needed to know.

"What have you done? Why did you do this? How could you tell Alex what we did?"

"Because I love you."

"That doesn't give you the right to destroy my marriage and my life."

"You don't need them. You can spend the rest of your life with me."

"If you truly loved me you wouldn't have pulled a stunt like this. What happened to you? You were never like this. I don't understand how you could be so devious."

"Regine told me to do it." she announced, straight faced.

"That's not funny."

"It's the truth. She's been playing you this whole time."

"Regine has been dead for thirty years and you twisting what I've told you about her into your scheme for revenge is just sick. Did I hurt you that badly after high school?"

"Get over yourself. You're not listening to what I'm telling you. You were right all along. The vampires are behind this and Regine has been pulling the strings."

"Regine is dead!"

"No, she isn't! You never killed her. She's still alive and she's been manipulating you this whole time. Haven't you figured it out by now? You've grown wearier and wearier over the past few months living your life with your family and trying to avoid the change that's been happening in you, but when you dream you feel more alive than you ever had."

He realised that this was true but it was only as she was saying it that he truly acknowledged the reality. It was a truth that hovered on the edges of his peripheral but speaking about it allowed him to see it clearly. Whenever he was dreaming he felt so alive like he wasn't really dreaming at all. He had been aware of this feeling during the dreams but the thought fled from his mind the moment he awoke. He was too traumatised by the horrific images he had seen.

"I did. I remember now. Why? That doesn't make sense." He felt more confused than ever.

"You felt alive because you _were_ alive. What you believe to be a dream is actually your reality. Everything you've dreamt about actually happened and it all started with your recurring nightmare about killing Alex."

"No. If what you're saying is true then that means Alex is really dead. I killed her, and Peter. That means I'm a vampire. I can't accept that."

"Whether you accept it or not it's the truth, and now that you know you'll be waking up soon."

"Waking up from what?"

" _This_ is the dream Charley. Your fifty year old self doesn't exist. Your life for the past thirty years didn't really happen. It's all a lie; a false memory constructed by Regine to torture you. In reality, you're her prisoner and only a few months have gone by since you killed Alex and Peter Vincent. Their corpses are still rotting in the room down the hall. If you concentrate you might be able to smell them."

The stench hit his nostrils with an unexpected strength. He could smell old blood and death.

He flinched and Amy smiled.

"You see?"

"It's just in my head. I only smelt that because you were talking about it. It's a delusion."

" _This_ is the delusion, and if you don't accept that then it'll only be more painful when you are ripped from this life. It's started already." Amy gestured to Charley's hands with her eyes.

Charley looked down and his hands were fading away. They were pale and translucent like a ghost.

"What's happening?" he yelled.

"You're waking up. The dream is ending. This false body is erasing from existence. I'll see you on the other side."

Charley watched as the effect spread up his arms and when he looked up Amy had gone. He was all alone, watching his body disappear before his eyes, aware of his fate but unwilling to believe it.

He could no longer feel his hands and they quickly disappeared completely. As the effect reached his chest it took his breath away. If he didn't have a chest, then he didn't have lungs and the thought suffocated him. His legs were the next to go and his vision clouded over as his head did the same. The last remnant of his old body was a single heartbeat, before his eyes opened to the dank confines of his prison.


End file.
